Serological detection of grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV) in ampelographic collection from USAMV Iasi (Romania)

Grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV) is one of the most severe virus diseases in vineyards worldwide. It causes extensive leaf yellowing, stem and leaf deformation, reduced fruit quality, substantial crop loss and shortened longevity of vineyards. GFLV is transmitted specifically from grapevine to grapevine by the ectoparasitic nematode Xiphinema index, and belongs to the genus Nepovirus in the family Comoviridae. During 2009 and 2011 a sanitary survey was conducted in the ampelographic collection of the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Iaşi (Romania) on 170 cultivars belonging to Vitis spp. Our objectives were to determine the presence and distribution of GFLV across the ampelographic collection, and to find out if the virus titre fluctuation is cultivar specific. Leaf samples were taken during spring season from vines exhibiting virus-like symptoms or general vine decline. Three mature leaves including the petiole from different sections of the vine, keeping between the first and fifth node from the base of the vine were collected in dry, cool weather. The results of DAS-ELISA test confirm that virus was present in 29 grapevine cultivars (17.1% of total) from the ampelographic collection. Infected vine cultivars with the highest OD (optical density) values were Gordan, Newburger, Cioinic, Galbenă de Odobeşti, Blauerzweigelt and Merlot