Previous work led to the characterization of, and the production of an antiserum to a closterovirus referred to as grapevine stem pitting‐associated virus (GSP‐AV). Using this antiserum and immunoelectron microscopy, we now show that GSP‐AV is widespread in grapevines and that a second serologically distinct closterovirus‐like particle is also widely present. One or both of the closterovirus‐like particles were often but not always associated with leafroll symptoms. However, some plants indexed as suffering from stem pitting also contained one or both of the particles.
As “grapevine stem pitting‐associated virus” no longer seems appropriate as a name, we suggest changing it to grapevine virus A (GVA). We provisionally refer to the second closterovirus‐like virus as grapevine virus B (GVB).
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