Grape viruses in Belarus

Epidemiological control of plant virus diseases is crucial for creation of grapevine nurseries and production of winegrapes and table grapes with stable high yields. As grape production is considered to be rather a young culture in Belarus, the aim of this research is to study the phytosanitary state of perspective grape cultivars and cultivars listed in the State Register of fruit, small-fruit, nut and grape cultivars of the Republic of Belarus: 'Crystall', 'Bianca', 'Nero', 'Marechal Foch', 'Agate donskoy', 'Sultana 23-16-6-3', 'Augusta', 'Platovsky' in Minsk region. All samples were tested for the presence of GFLV, SLRV, RRV, ArMV, TBRV, GLRaV-1, GLRaV-2, GLRaV-3, GVA, GFkV by ELISA. This research was vital for virus free plants selection and further propagation in vitro as a basis for Nuclear stock and virus elimination of important cultivars. Only two viruses were identificated in grape nursery: GFkV and GLRaV-3. The most common virus was GFkV (detected in 41.2% of tested plants). GLRaV-3 was detected in 6.3% of tested plants. About 87.5% of samples were infected only with one virus (GFkV) while 12.5% were infected with two viruses.