The response of plant species used in agriculture and horticulture to viroid infections

The reactions of the viroids causing cucumber pale fruit (CPFV), chrysanthemum stunt (CSV) and citrus exocortis (CEV) in different plant species and varieties used in agriculture and horticulture were studied. These viroids caused identical symptoms on tomato and potato. The reactions of chrysanthemum Mistletoe to CPFV or CSV were identical, but CEV-infected plants reacted quite differently. CPFV and CEV caused the same type of symptoms on cucumber plants but symptoms of CEV were always weaker.Ten of the tested horticultural crop species appeared to be susceptible to CPFV, of which eight produced symptoms. In the Netherlands, however, CPFV is only described as pathogen on cucumber plants grown in glasshouses. Ten species were susceptible to CSV of which three produced symptoms. In the Netherlands CSV only occurs in chrysanthemum. Nine of the tested crops proved to be susceptible to CEV and seven were sensitive to this viroid which occurs in citric crops of (sub)tropical climate zones.Our results show that the viroids studies form potential pathogens for other crops than cucumber and chrysanthemum which are now affected by two of them.Samenvatting Het viroïde dat de bleke-vruchtenziekte bij komkommer veroorzaakt (CPFV), chrysanthemum stunt viroïde (CSV) en citrus exocortis viroïde (CEV) produceren symptomen op tomaat en aardappel, die niet van elkaar zijn te onderscheiden. De reactie van chrysant Mistletoe op CPFV of CSV is identiek, maar na infectie met CEV reageren de planten volkomen anders. Komkommers ontwikkelen dezelfde symptomen na een besmetting met CPFV en CEV, hoewel laatstgenoemd agens altijd een zwakker ziektebeeld oproept.Tomaat, aardappel, aubergine, chrysant, komkommer, augurk, meloen enBenincasa bleken gevoelig te zijn en paprika en petunia vatbaar voor CPFV, terwijl in Nederland alleen van komkommergewassen bekend is, dat ze aangetast worden door dit pathogeen.Tomaat, aardappel en chrysant waren ook gevoelig voor CSV, vatbaar voor dit viroïde waren paprika, petunia,Nicandra, andijvie, komkommer, augurk enBenincasa cerifera. In ons land kennen we stunt alleen in de chrysantenteelt. Negen gewassen bleken vatbaar te zijn voor CEV, en zeven waren gevoelig voor dit viroïde, dat alleen in (sub)tropische klimaatzones voorkomt.Vierentwintig cultuurgewassen bleken onvatbaar te zijn voor alle drie viroïden. De resultaten van dit onderzoek wijzen er op dat CPFV, CSV en CEV nauw verwant zijn, maar niet identiek.     

Isolation of Peirce's disease bacteria from grapevines in Europe

Xylella fastidiosa, the causal agent of Pierce's disease (PD) of grape, was isolated from diseased grapevines grown in Kosova, Yugoslavia. The Kosova isolate was a rod-shaped bacterium which showed a typically rippled cell wall under electron microscopy. ELISA comparisons indicated that the Kosova isolate was closely related to the U.S. PD strains and to several other strains of X. fastidiosa. When DNA extracted from diseased grapevines collected from Kosova was used as template in PCR with primer sets specific for X. fastidiosa, a band of about 730 bp diagnostic for PD bacteria was detected. DNA from the isolated Kosova bacteria and the type strain of PD yielded the same length of DNA fragment in PCR assay. The Kosova isolate was inoculated into young healthy grapevines through the roots with negative pressure applied to the shoots. Typical scald and scorch symptoms appeared on the leaves of the inoculated grapevines 40–80 days after inoculation. The same bacteria were reisolated from these inoculated diseased plants and used to reinoculate young grapevines. The reinoculated grapevines produced the same symptoms, thereby fulfilling Koch's postulates. This is the first confirmation that PD of grapes occurs in Europe.     

Characterization of a new viroid strain from hops: evidence for viroid speciation by isolation in different host species

A new viroid was detected in hops cultivated in Akita Prefecture, Japan where it is prevalent in many hops fields. In a survey of hop samples collected during the 1986–2002 growing seasons, the new viroid was present in the major Japanese hop-cultivating areas as early as the 1980s. A single-stranded circular RNA of 368–372 nucleotides that assume a highly basepaired, stable, rod-like secondary structure, shares 93%–98% sequence homology with Apple fruit crinkle viroid (AFCVd) isolated from apple and 85%–87% with Australian grapevine viroid (AGVd) isolated from grapevine. Taking into account the present concept of viroid species, we conclude that the viroid is AFCVd. Circumstantial evidence suggests that AFCVd from apples and hops were endemic in Japan only where cultivation of the two host plants overlapped, thereby strongly supporting the possibility that AFCVd (or an ancestral viroid) was transmitted across the species barrier from apples to hops or hops to apples somewhere in the region. Phylogenetic analysis of AFCVd from hops, AFCVd from apples, and AGVd together with the other members of the genus Apscaviroid revealed that the Akita isolates of AFCVd from hops (AFCVd-hop) formed a cluster that is distinct from AFCVd-apple and AGVd. Accumulation of host-specific sequence variation following their isolation in different host species may be leading to the formation of two viroid species from a common ancestor.     

Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of Citrus viroid V isolates from Pakistan

Citrus viroid V (CVd-V) was recently characterized and belongs to the genus Apscaviroid within the family Pospiviroidae. 334 CVd-V isolates were identified from Punjab, Pakistan, where CVd-V had not been reported. A total of 68 independent cDNA clones were sequenced from 11 infected trees of different cultivars, ranging from 292 to 295 nucleotides. The nucleotide diversity estimated from the nucleotide distances of the CVd-V Pakistan population was similar to that reported from other countries. Based on genetic diversity and phylogenetic analysis, two main CVd-V groups were identified indicating that Pakistan might be one of the geographic origins of CVd-V worldwide. We demonstrated that this viroid has not emerged recently and it is more widespread than previously expected.     

Eradication of black rot (Guignardia bidwellii) from grapevines by drastic pruning

A drastic pruning strategy was developed to eradicate the fungal disease black rot (Guignardia bidwellii), which is exotic in Australia, from grapevines, while minimizing the economic cost of returning an affected vineyard to its previous quality and production levels. The protocol involved cutting off vines at the top of the trunk, removing debris from the ground beneath and between vines, mulching the vineyard floor, removing low watershoots during vine regrowth and applying a targeted fungicide programme. The protocol was initially evaluated and consequently modified in Australia using an endemic grapevine disease, black spot or anthracnose (Elsinoe ampelina), as an analogous model system. Then, it was validated in a black‐rot‐infested vineyard in New York, USA. Following two seasons of disease‐conducive weather conditions, no black rot was detected on treated vines, whereas leaf and fruit infections developed on the untreated control vines. These results confirmed the efficacy of the protocol for eradicating black rot from vineyards while allowing vines to return quickly to previous yield and quality levels without replanting. The protocol may have applicability to disease eradication protocols for other perennial crops as well. Evidence is also presented on the efficacy and potential pitfalls of burning infected grapevine material to eradicate E. ampelina.     

从吐鲁番古葡萄树上检测到4种类病毒(AGVd、GYSVd-1、GYSVd-2、HSVd)

从约有150年树龄的新疆吐鲁番葡萄(品种无核白)叶子中抽提小分子RNA,经过RT-PCR、生物学检测及克隆测序分析,证明其中含有4种类病毒:AGVd、GYSVd-1、GYSVd-2和HSVd。通过二维电泳,正反向电泳及Northern印迹杂交,RT-PCR等分子生物学方法对接种的指示植物Suyo黄瓜中的子代类病毒进行了检测,结果仅仅检测到HSVd一种类病毒。对Suyo黄瓜中的HSVd子代类病毒进行克隆及序列分析,结果表明葡萄中亲代类病毒与黄瓜中的子代类病毒序列之间存在明显差异。     

桃树上啤酒花矮化类病毒(Hop stunt viroid)的检测及序列分析

 2005年8月和2006年2月从中国北京、陕西、河北、山东、广西等地共采集76个无明显症状的桃树样品,经斑点杂交、RT-PCR以及生物学鉴定检测,来自北京和陕西的11个样品中检测到啤酒花矮化类病毒(Hop stunt viroid,HSVd),总感染率达14.5%。上述3种方法检测桃树上的HSVd具有一致性。将5个样品中的HSVd进行克隆测序,得到12条不同HSVd核酸序列,与GenBank中D13764序列(日本桃果实HSVd分离物)同源性为93.29%~100%。可以看出,国内桃树HSVd分离物核酸序列变异比较小,地域和品种间核酸序列无明显差异。这是首次比较系统地检测中国桃树上HSVd发生情况的报道。     

Multi-gene sequence analysis and phenotypic diversity of Phaeoacremonium species isolated from grapevines in Spain

Esca and Petri disease, caused by Phaeoa-cremonium, and other grapevine decline diseases, such as eutypa dieback, are responsible for serious economic losses to the wine industry worldwide. In the present work, 175 isolates of Phaeoacremonium spp. were collected (mostly in the region of Castilla y León, Spain) from vines either asymptomatic or symptomatic for grapevine decline diseases. The sequences of DNA fragments of 30 isolates were analysed. Amplicons of ITS, and partial gene of the β-tubulin, actin, calmodulin and translation elongation factor 1-α [EF1-α], were obtained by PCR. This is the first time that any exon of the EF1-α gene or exons 6–7 of the β-tubulin gene of seven Phaeoacremonium spp. have been amplified. Amplicons of the calmodulin and EF1-α exons were the most informative in terms of species differentiation: only 52.6 % and 56.6 % similarity across six and seven species was respectively seen. Phylogenetic analysis of combined DNA sequences revealed five Phaeoacremonium species isolated from the sampled plants; P. aleophilum was the most common. Four other species were found, however only one isolate each. P. mortoniae and P. iranianum are here reported for the first time on grapevines in the region of Castilla y León and the neighbouring region of La Rioja respectively. In total, 29 nucleotide differences among the studied gene fragments were seen across 23 isolates of P. aleophilum. Network analysis showed these Spanish P. aleophilum isolates to fall into two main groups of genotypes. P. aleophilum genotypes belonging to group 1 were mostly isolated from young grapevines affected by Petri disease but genotypes included in group 2 were isolated from adult plants showing esca or eutypa dieback symptoms.     

北京平谷区苹果锈果类病毒检测初报

采集北京市平谷区‘中秋王’、‘寒富’苹果叶片样品共12份,以Northern杂交、RT-PCR方法检测苹果锈果类病毒(Apple scar skin viroid,ASSVd)带毒情况。结果表明,表现明显锈果症状的‘中秋王’样品均检出ASSVd,无明显症状的‘中秋王’样品没有检出ASSVd,而无明显症状的‘寒富’样品全部携带ASSVd。测序发现,所得序列与NCBI中已报道的ASSVd基因组序列相似性为91%~99%,且两品种中ASSVd主流序列完全相同。结果说明‘中秋王’对ASSVd较为敏感,感病后易于表现出明显的锈果症状;‘寒富’对ASSVd耐性较强,感病后不表现出明显症状。     

Symptoms and molecular characterization of apple dimple fruit viroid isolates from apples in Japan

Apple dimple fruit viroid was detected from an apple tree (‘Jonagold’) bearing apples with mild dapple apple symptom. The isolates in Japan were distinct from those in apples in Italy and China and in fig in Italy. Graft-inoculation experiments showed that the symptoms were variable depending on the cultivar, and the symptom on ‘Starking Delicious’ was virtually similar to those reported in Italy. Symptoms induced by apple dimple fruit viroid were similar in part to those by apple fruit crinkle viroid or apple scar skin viroid, indicating that they cannot be discriminated by symptoms on any specific variety.     

Effect of xylem fluid from susceptible and resistant grapevines on developmental biology of Xylella fastidiosa

Xylella fastidiosa causes Pierce??s disease (PD), a serious disease in grapevines, and grapevine cultivars vary in susceptibility to X. fastidiosa in the field. The mechanism(s) by which this occurs has not been clearly elucidated. To explore possible mechanisms, X. fastidiosa cells from a PD strain were grown in pure xylem fluid of PD-susceptible grapevines, Vitis vinifera and V. labrusca, versus PD-resistant grapevines, V. champinii and V. smalliana. When grown in xylem fluid from the susceptible species, X. fastidiosa cells formed a heavier biofilm compared to those in xylem fluid from the resistant species. Differential expression of selected genes of X. fastidiosa cultured in the xylem fluids of V. vinifera and V. smalliana was analyzed using a DNA macroarray. Compared with xylem fluid of V. smalliana, xylem fluid of V. vinifera stimulated the expression of X. fastidiosa genes involved in virulence regulation, such as rpfC, gacA, xrvA, gcvR, and cysB, and genes involved in biogenesis of pili and twitching motility, such as pilI, pilU, pilE and pilG. Increased expression of virulence genes likely contributes to the expression of PD symptom in the susceptible grapevines, whereas reduced expression of these genes may lead to limitation of symptoms in resistant grapevines.     

Characterization of Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) incidence and new variants from ornamentals

We analyzed the spreading and persistence of PSTVd variants in several ornamentals in the territory of the Czech Republic. The pool of PSTVd variants detected in Solanum jasminoides, S. muricatum, Datura sp. and Brugmansia sp. was biolistically transferred to Matricaria chamomilla, Argyranthemum frutescens and Diascia sp., species which we found as sensitive hosts for PSTVd from ornamentals. The PSTVd pool showed sequence changes and increased variation after its transfer to potato, suggesting a wide adaptation potential of PSTVd in this crop. Potato exhibited genotype-dependent leaf and spindle tuber symptoms, when inoculated with the sap from S. jasminoides infected with the predominant and sequence-stable PSTVd-S1.     

Host Effect on the Molecular and Biological Properties of a Citrus exocortis viroid Isolate from Vicia faba

ABSTRACT Citrus exocortis viroid (CEVd) is the casual agent of citrus exocortis disease, and has been found in naturally infected citrus and noncitrus hosts. Field isolates of CEVd may infect susceptible hosts as a complex of genetically related sequence variants (haplotypes). In the present work, a CEVd isolate recovered from a symptomless broad bean plant was characterized as a heterogeneous population with a nucleotide diversity of 0.026, which did not contain a predominant haplotype. When nucleic acid extracts of this infected broad bean were used to inoculate tomato, the plants displayed symptoms and the CEVd population was more homogeneous, with a nucleotide diversity of 0.007. However, when nucleic acid extracts from this tomato isolate were back inoculated to new broad bean plants, this isolate did not revert to the original population, because it showed low nucleotide diversity (0.001) and induced symptoms in the broad bean plants. Symptomless broad bean plants may act as reservoirs of highly heterogeneous populations of CEVd variants, providing an excellent inoculum source in terms of its potential to infect a broad range of putative hosts. The epidemiological implications are discussed.     

苹果锈果类病毒山东栖霞分离物的分子鉴定及序列分析

本研究以采自山东省栖霞市的两个苹果样品为试验材料,利用二维电泳、斑点杂交、RT PCR等分子生物学技术对样品中的苹果锈果类病毒(ASSVd)带毒情况进行了检测。结果表明：两个样品均携带ASSVd。对两个样品中的ASSVd进行克隆测序,并利用生物学软件DNAMAN对所得序列进行分析,结果表明：与世界上首次报道的ASSVd序列(X17696)相比,本研究所得到的ASSVd序列变异较小,相对比较保守。     

Phylogenetic relationships,pathogenicity and fungicide sensitivity of Greeneria uvicola isolates from Vitis vinifera and Muscadinia rotundifolia grapevines

Greeneria uvicola causes bitter rot on Vitis vinifera (bunch grapes) and Muscadinia rotundifolia (muscadine grapes) in warm moist temperate and subtropical regions. This study investigated the phylogenetic relationship of G. uvicola representatives from Australia (67 isolates), the USA (31 isolates), India (1 isolate) and Costa Rica (1 isolate) and compared their pathogenicity and fungicide sensitivity. Differences in cultural and conidial morphology were observed between the isolates from Australia and the USA. Phylogenetic relationships were determined based on three gene regions: the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1–5?8S–ITS2), 28S large subunit (LSU) nuclear rDNA and β‐tubulin‐2. Greeneria uvicola isolates were clearly differentiated into four groups: isolates from Australia and India; USA isolates from V. vinifera; USA isolates from M. rotundifolia; and the isolate from Costa Rica. All isolates were pathogenic on V. vinifera (cv. Chardonnay) berries although those originating from M. rotundifolia were not as aggressive as isolates from V. vinifera, irrespective of geographical origin. Sensitivity to pyraclostrobin and salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM) was studied. Despite differences in fungicide applications, hyphal growth inhibition was not significantly different for geographical location, cultivar, tissue, year of collection or different spray regimes. For the Australian and USA isolates, fungal growth inhibition was significantly greater for pyraclostrobin than for SHAM, and was significantly greater for the combined treatment than for each of the fungicides applied singly. The aetiological and epidemiological knowledge of bitter rot collected through this study will aid better prediction and management strategies of this pathogen.     

First report of tomato chlorotic dwarf viroid isolated from symptomless petunia plants (Petunia spp.) in Japan

A viroid was detected for the first time in symptomless petunia plants (Petunia spp.) and identified as Tomato chlorotic dwarf viroid (TCDVd) based on an analysis of the complete genomic sequence. These petunia plants are a likely source of inoculum for tomato or potato plants because TCDVd induces severe symptoms on these plants. The genomic sequence of this petunia isolate from Japan shared 100 % identity with petunia isolates from the Netherlands and United Kingdom and a tomato isolate from Japan. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all petunia isolates and the tomato isolate from Japan formed a monophyletic clade.     

Elimination of Citrus psorosis virus by somatic embryogenesis from stigma and style cultures

Somatic embryogenesis was used to eliminate Citrus psorosis virus (CPsV) from three citrus species (common mandarin, sweet orange and Dweet tangor), all of which regenerated somatic embryos with different embryogenic potential from stigma and style explants. CPsV was detected by double antibody sandwich‐indirect‐enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (DASI-ELISA) in explants and embryogenic callus, but was not detected in any of the plants obtained from somatic embryos, even 24 months after regeneration. Loss of juvenile characters (disappearance of thorns) was observed in the first year of growth and was retained in plants propagated by grafting from thornless stems. Somatic embryogenesis appears to be a very promising technique for the production of healthy citrus stocks.