Go Back to Main Page Click here to see Introductory Page current season information Information On Growing Blue Berries Varietal Specific Information Information on both Harmful and Beneficial Insect Pests that Influence Blueberry Cultivation pollination information Blueberry Disease Information Nutritional Disorders affecting Blueberries Chemical or Other Injuries Affecting Blueberries Information on Obnoxious Plants that affect blueberry crops Pest Management Topics Weather Information Industry and Other Related Links Meeting and Event Information


this site WWW

Leaf mottle
Blueberry leaf mottle virus
Annemiek Schilder, MSU Plant Pathology
Bill Cline, NCSU Plant Pathology
Leaf mottle occurs only in Michigan and can be severe.

Symptoms
Leaves show a mottling pattern and may be malformed or straplike. Severely infected Rubel bushes have dead stems, a small amount of regrowth near the crown area, and little to no crop. Jersey or Blueray plants may be stunted and have small, pale, rosetted terminal leaves.

Pale, puckered terminal leaves

Disease cycle
The virus spreads via infected pollen carried by honeybees from diseased to healthy bushes up to 1 mile. Symptoms do not become apparent until 3 to 4 years after infection.

Management
Plant virus-tested clean plant-ing stock; test plants showing symptoms; remove and destroy infected plants; use herbicides to prevent regrowth from crown; place beehives as far as possible from infected areas; do not move hives from infected to healthy fields.
bottom border

 Contact Us  |  Copyright Information  |  Privacy 

This site's development was funded by grants from Project GREEEN and Michigan State University
The web site was designed by Phillip Wharton and is managed by Daniel Svoboda.

Michigan Blueberry Facts logo © 2003, Michigan State University. All rights reserved.
Last Updated - 6/22/07