Little cherry virus (LChV) causing small, poorly coloured, tasteless fruits occurs worldwide in all cherry growing areas. It has been detected in several European countries, e.g., Belgium, Italy, Germany, Poland, Romania, Greece, Switzerland, Great Britain, and the Czech Republic.
Solution
Use healthy, virus-free certified planting material, preferably of European origin. Avoid growing Little cherry virus-sensitive varieties and monitor pest disease vectors to help regulate disease spreading and decrease damage.
Description
Cultivation of varieties that are less sensitive to LChV will give a stable yield of high quality and good flavour sweet and sour cherry fruits.
Practical recommendations and information
• Two causal viruses exist: Little cherry virus-1 (LChV-1) and Little cherry virus-2 (LChV-2)
• SYMPTOMS can look like:
o Fruits are small, triangular, flattened, leathery peel
o Poorly coloured, tasteless fruits
o Reduced sugar content
o Premature reddening of leaves
o Lower tree vigour, lower tree volume
o Plants can be infected without any visible symptoms (often on ornamental species)
• HOST PLANTS:
o Species of Prunus genus, mainly sweet and sour cherries, including ornamental species
o Infections on apricots, peaches, plums and almonds have not been recorded yet
• Virus-infected trees cannot be treated; treatment options against LChV do not exist yet, so only the application of preventive measures is effective
• Vegetative virus transmission is possible, especially with infected planting material and with vegetative propagation (e.g., scions, grafts)
• LChV-2 virus is also transmitted by the maple borer (Phenacoccus aceris); the pest vector for LChV-1 is unknown
• Reliable detection of the virus is only possible by molecular methods (RT-PCR)
• PROTECTION:
o PREVENTIVE MEASURES: Healthy plant material, monitoring of maple borer upon confirmation of LChV-2 infections
o DIRECT MEASURES: Destroy all infested trees, direct control of the vector (maple borer)
• Avoid growing of LChV sensitive varieties such as Lambert, Lapins, Sam, Van, Celeste, Sweetheart, and Bing (fully resistant varieties are not known)
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