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In the Napa Valley of California, vineyards of 'Cabernet Franc' (CF) clone 214, 'Cabernet Sauvignon' clone 337, and 'Zinfandel' clone 1A (Z1A) with grapevines exhibiting foliar symptoms of red blotches, marginal reddening, and red veins that were accompanied by reduced sugar accumulation in fruit at harvest were initially suspected to be infected with leafroll-associated viruses. However, reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests were negative for all known leafroll-associated viruses, with the exception of Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 2 in Z1A. Metagenomic analysis of cDNA libraries obtained from double-stranded RNA enriched nucleic acid (NA) preparations from bark scrapings of dormant canes on an Illumina platform revealed sequences having a distant relationship with members of the family Geminiviridae. Sequencing of products obtained by PCR assays using overlapping primers and rolling circle amplification (RCA) confirmed the presence of a single circular genome of 3,206 nucleotides which was nearly identical to the genome of a recently reported Grapevine cabernet franc-associated virus found in declining grapevines in New York. We propose to call this virus "Grapevine red blotch-associated virus" (GRBaV) to describe its association with grapevine red blotch disease. Primers specific to GRBaV amplified a product of expected size (557 bp) from NA preparations obtained from petioles of several diseased source vines. Chip bud inoculations successfully transmitted GRBaV to test plants of CF, as confirmed by PCR analysis. This is the first report of a DNA virus associated with red blotch disease of grapevines in California.

Grapevine rupestris stem pitting (RSP) is a graft-transmissible disease of unknown etiology. We have characterized a virus associated with this disease. The entire genomic sequence (GenBank accession number AF026278) consisted of 8,725 nucleotides excluding a poly(A) tail. Six open reading frames (ORF) were found. ORF1 potentially encodes a polypeptide with a methyltransferase domain, a papain-like proteinase domain, a helicase domain, and a RNA-dependent RNA polymerase domain; ORF2, ORF3, and ORF4 compose a triple-gene block; ORF5 encodes a coat protein; and ORF6 is located near the 3' end with unknown function. Sequence analysis indicated that the virus is most similar to apple stem-pitting virus and may be allied with the carla- and potexviruses and grouped with other viruses that infect woody hosts. A specific reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-based detection method was developed. Among 62 grapevine sources known to be infected with rupestris stem-pitting disease, 60 sources tested positive by RT-PCR. Among 43 healthy vines tested, all were negative. The name grapevine rupestris stem-pitting-associated virus is proposed.

Strategies to screen horticultural crops for graft-transmissible agents, particularly viruses and phytoplasmas, have advanced substantially over the past decade. Tests used for Vitis and Prunus are reviewed in detail, including both biological indexing procedures and laboratory-based assays. Despite advances in laboratory molecular-based detection techniques, a strong case is presented for the continued use of slower biological tests in programs requiring high levels of confidence in detection of pathogens that must be excluded from valuable germplasm.

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