Beet leaf curl virus

Beet leaf curl virus (BCLV)
Virus classification
Group: V: (-) sense RNA Viruses
Family: Rhabdoviridae
Genus: Nucleorhabdovirus
Species: Beet leaf curl virus
Synonyms

beet leaf crinkle virus
beta virus 3
Rübenkr"usel-Virus
sugarbeet leaf curl virus

Beet leaf curl virus (BCLV) is a plant pathogenic virus of the family Rhabdoviridae.

The host range for this virus includes species of Atriplex, Beta, Chenopodium and Spinacia and also Tetragonia tetragonioides. The most important hosts however are sugarbeet and fodder beet.[1] BLCV is found in the Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Turkey.[2]

The vector for BCLV is Piesma quadratum, the beet lace bug. Both adults and nymphs acquire the virus when feeding continuously for at least thirty minutes and need to feed for at least forty minutes in order to inoculate the virus into new host plants. The vectors remains infective for the rest of their lives.[3] The virus migrates to the salivary glands, haemolymph and intestinal wall and is thought to multiply in both the adult and larval stages of the insect.[4] It does not seem to be transmissible mechanically or by seed. Dry plant material remains infectious for up to seven days and for twelve weeks at -20°C.[3]

The disease manifests itself by an initial translucence of the leaf veins and petioles which later become swollen and grow more slowly than the rest of the leaf causing it to crinkle. A bunch of small, curved new leaves form in the plant's crown creating a head somewhat resembling a lettuce. Growth in general slows down and the older leaves die.[5] The disease is mostly found in central Europe in areas with light sandy soils. The loss of yield in sugarbeet can be up to 75% and the sugar content of the beets may be considerally reduced.[6]

References

  1. Petherbridge, F.R.; Stirrup, H.H. (1935) Pests and diseases of the sugar beet. Bulletin of Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food No. 93.
  2. EPPO
  3. 3.0 3.1 Proeseler, G. (1983) Beet leaf curl virus. CMI/AAB Descriptions of Plant Viruses No. 268. Association of Applied Biologists, Wellesbourne, UK.
  4. Proeseler, G. (1966a) [Relationships between Piesma quadratum and beet leaf curl virus. I. Experiments of virus transmissibility and rearing of the vector]. Phytopathologische Zeitschrift 56, 191-211.
  5. Wille, J. (1928) [Beet leaf curl transmitted by the beet lace bug]. Arbeiten aus der Biologischen Reichsanstalt für Land- und Forstwirtschaft 16, 115-167.
  6. Hoffmann, G.H.; Schmutterer, H. (1983) Parasitäre Krankheiten und Schädlinge an landwirtschaftlichen Kulturpflanzen, 488 pp. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart, Germany.

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