Poster: Biology and Disease Management: Regulatory Plant Pathology
425-P
Virus testing in certified strawberry nursery plants in Oregon
D. SHARMA-POUDYAL (1), S. Lane (1), J. Grant (1), N. Osterbauer (1) (1) Oregon Department of Agriculture, U.S.A.
Strawberry crinkle virus (SCV), Strawberry mottle virus (SMoV), Strawberry mild yellow edge virus (SMYEV), and Strawberry vein banding virus (SVBV) are aphid-borne strawberry viruses frequently found in the Pacific Northwest. As such, they are excellent indicators for the effectiveness of nursery certification programs in maintaining virus free plants. Oregon nurseries import certified strawberry plants primarily from California and multiply these plants prior to sale to the final consumer. Testing for viruses in certified plants reveals the virus status of the plants and measures the effectiveness of the originating state’s certification program. A survey for these four viruses was performed in a Klamath County nursery multiplying certified strawberry plants. A total of 59 plant samples were collected and tested for SCV and SMYEV while 118 samples were tested for SMoV and SVBV. SVBV was detected using PCR with SVBV-specific primers. SCV, SMoV, and SMYEV were not detected using RT-PCR with virus-specific primers. SVBV was detected in one out of 118 samples tested. These results demonstrate the continued need for virus testing of strawberries throughout the plants’ entire life cycle in an official certification program.