Archivio Journal of Plant Pathology

Abstract:

Several vineyards and a Vitis germplasm collection were surveyed in Algeria for the presence Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 (GLRaV-3) by DAS-ELISA. The virus was found in almost half (44%) of the samples tested (212 out of 484). The genetic diversity of selected GLRaV-3 isolates was determined by characterizing fragments of the heat shock 70 protein homologue (HSP70h) and coat protein (CP) genes by single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and sequencing. Algerian GLRaV-3 isolates showed three SSCP patterns and belonged to previously described phylogenetic groups I, II and III. Analysis of phylogenetic trees obtained with partial HSP70h gene sequences suggested the existence of two new subgroups and confirmed a few stand-alone variants. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first characterization of GLRaV-3 isolates from Algeria.