A review of the ecology of grapevine leafroll associated virus type 3 (GLRaV3)

Abstract

Grapevine leafroll disease in New Zealand is predominantly caused by the ampelovirus GLRaV3 which is vectored between vines by up to three species of mealybugs (Pseudococcus spp) However global understanding of the transmission and spread of GLRaV3 remains limited and does not definitively show how to successfully manage the disease in New Zealand The disease is a manifestation of a complex relationship between the virus vine and vectors each component of which is interdependent on the other two The review suggests that a full understanding of the disease will require research and operational input from plant virologists entomologists vine physiologists pest controllers vineyard managers grapevine breeders/improvers and winemakers Such a wide range of expertise should ensure that the factors behind the spread of the disease over time (its epidemiology) are accurately determined and that effective management solutions are delivered over the course of decades