Viruses, virus-like diseases and virus vectors in berryfruit crops in Hungary

In Hungary, berryfruit crops are grown traditionally near cities for fresh fruit production and in other regions to provide work for local people. In late spring/summer 1999 and 2000, field observations were made in different geographical regions for virus, virus-like symptoms and virus vectors in commercial berryfruit crops and in related wild species. Only blackcurrant reversion disease symptoms were found commonly in crops, some as a result of planting infected material, and others from natural spread. Raspberry yellows, raspberry mosaic and rubus stunt diseases were found only rarely in Rubus. ELISA for 13 different viruses reported to infect berryfruit crops detected only Arabis mosaic, Cherry leaf roll (CLRV), Cucumber mosaic (CMV), Raspberry bushy dwarf, Raspberry ringspot, Strawberry latent ringspot and Tomato black ring (TBRV) viruses in Rubus, CLRV and CMV viruses in elderberry and TBRV in strawberry. Eriophyid gall mites were found on blackcurrant (Cecidophyopsis ribis) in association with reverted plants, and on red currant (possibly C. selachodon). On raspberry, colonies of the small raspberry aphid, Aphis idaei, were found but no symptoms of Raspberry vein chlorosis virus that it transmits. Infestations of the leaf and bud mite, Phyllocoptes gracilis, were found commonly in some raspberry crops and their feeding damage on leaves induced virus-like symptoms. The significance of these results is discussed.