Occurrence of blueberry virus L in Japan and its aphid transmission and pathogenicity in highbush blueberry.

This is the first report of the occurrence of blueberry virus L (BlVL) in Japan and the complete nucleotide sequence of a Japanese isolate. BlVL was detected using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in 35 of 52 highbush blueberry shrubs at Iwate University Research Farm, Japan, and in aphids (Aphis gossypii) on a BlVL-infected blueberry shrub. In the aphid transmission test of BlVL, the aphids transmitted the virus to uninfected blueberry bushes. No symptoms were observed in shrubs infected with the virus by aphid inoculation or by graft inoculation, suggesting that BlVL causes latent infection in highbush blueberry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]