Potato leafroll
Potato leaf roll virus
What is Potato leafroll (Potato leaf roll virus)?
The potato leafroll virus (PLRV) is a viral disease that affects potato plants causing significant yield losses and quality issues. It is globally distributed and can infect various potato cultivars. Symptoms include upward rolling of leaves, leaf chlorosis, stunted growth, and premature leaf death. Late-season infections may be symptomless. PLRV is primarily transmitted by aphids, particularly the green peach aphid. Infected plants can exhibit necrotic netting in tuber vascular tissue. Environmental conditions, such as moderate temperatures and high aphid populations, favor virus spread.
How does Potato leafroll (Potato leaf roll virus) occur?
Potato leafroll virus (PLRV) reproduces and spreads through two main mechanisms. It can be transmitted through infected seed tubers, where the virus is present in the plant's tissues. Secondly, PLRV is primarily transmitted by aphids. Aphids acquire the virus by feeding on infected plants and then transmitting it to healthy plants during subsequent feeding. Once acquired, the virus multiplies within the plant's phloem tissue, allowing it to spread and cause infection throughout the plant and potentially to neighboring plants.
Symptoms
1 - Impacts on Plants
• PLRV-infected plants display stunted growth, leading to reduced plant size and vigor. Infected plants exhibit symptoms such as leaf rolling, upward curling, yellowing or chlorosis, and premature leaf death. • PLRV significantly affects yield, resulting in reduced tuber production and smaller-sized tubers. • Certain varieties may develop necrotic netting in tuber vascular tissue, negatively impacting tuber quality and market value.
Solutions
1 - Seed Management
• Use certified seeds with low virus levels to minimize the introduction of PLRV into the field. • Rogue infected plants and tubers in seed fields, removing neighboring plants to prevent virus spread. • Avoid storing potatoes prone to net necrosis for extended periods.
2 - Weed and Volunteer Plant Control
• Control winter annual weeds like mustard and shepherd's purse, which can harbor the virus in field borders. • Manage volunteer potato plants and eliminate cull piles to reduce potential sources of PLRV. • Implement cultural practices to limit the presence of weed hosts that can serve as reservoirs for the virus.
3 - Variety Selection
• Choose varieties that exhibit resistance or moderate resistance to PLRV. • Resistant varieties include Abnaki, Atlantic, Cascade, Chieftain, Chippewa, Penobscot, and Sebago. • Moderately resistant varieties include Katahdin, Kennebec, Norland, Ranger Russet, Red Pontiac, Sangre, Shepody, and Yukon Gold.
