A mysterious new problem threatens the blueberry industry in BC: visibly diseased plants test negative for unknown causes. With each season, more and more blueberry bushes are affected. Researchers involved in a two-year project funded by Genome British Columbia (Genome BC) are playing the role of plant detectives to solve this mystery.
“In 2020, for example, 18% of damaged plant samples tested negative for blueberry scorch virus and blueberry shock virus. We need to know what is affecting these blueberry bushes to figure out how to contain the spread of the disease,” says Jim Mattsson, associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Simon Fraser University and principal investigator on the project.
The research team, which involves the BC Blueberry Council, is using genomic tools such as genome sequencing to identify viruses that cause disease in blueberry plants. The BC Blueberry Council has also developed a grower awareness campaign.
Early laboratory results confirm two strains of a new blueberry virus and a new strain of blueberry shock virus that has never before been detected in the province. As not all viruses affect plant health, it is too early to say whether these new strains are contributing to crop damage and further research is needed.
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