Virus Testing of Certified Grapevine Planting Material in Bulgaria

Abstract

In accordance with the European Legislation and the recently developed national system for production of certified vine growing material, 1295 samples from grapevine varieties and rootstocks were checked for their virus status in the period of 2004–2006. The results obtained showed that total of 30.50% of the ELISA tested Vitis vinifera vines and rootstocks were infected by one (86.08%) or more viruses (13.92). The most widespread virus was Grapevine flack virus (GFkV) (23.3%), followed by Grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV) (5.05%) and Grapevine leafroll associated viruses 1 and 3 (GLRaV 1 and 3) (3.34% and 2.78%), respectively. Grapevine Bulgarian latent virus (GBLV) (0.37%) was scarcely represented, while Arabis mosaic virus (ArMV), Grapevine leafroll associated viruses 2 and 7 (GLRaV 2 and 7), Grapevine virus A (GVA) and Grapevine virus B (GVB) were completely absent. The mixed infection showed eight virus combinations. The associations of GFkV + GLRaV 1 (8.3%) and GFLV + GLRaV3 (8.3%) were the most widespread ones. All tested for ArMV, GFLV and GBLV wild vines (Vitis vinifera ssp. sylvestris) were virus free.