Read more
This volume of Options Méditerranéennes collects the results of the research activity produced from 1992 to 1997 by members of the MNGC, under the auspices of the European Commission DG. 1 and the CIHEAM-IAMB. Taking into account the sanitary deterioration of grapevines, particularly severe in many countries of the Mediterranean basin and chiefly due to virological problems, the objective of the investigations was to contribute to the knowledge of the closteroviruses and vitiviruses, two groups of phloem-limited filamentous viruses, likely involved in the aetiology of rugose wood (RW) and leafroll (LR) diseases of grapevine.
In particular, the studies aimed at :
- ascertaining the distribution of closteroviruses-vitiviruses in selected viticultural areas of participating countries were RW and LR are present ;
- ascertaining the occurrence of natural transmission of these viruses in mealybug-infested areas ;
- checking vectoring efficiency of mealybugs through transmission trials under controlled conditions and virus detection in the potential vectors ;
- establishing the cause-effect relationship existing between the different syndromes of RW and vitiviruses ;
- obtaining RW-free stocks through sanitation ;
- conceiving, testing and implementing integrated control schemes against natural spread of LR and RW.
An exhaustive presentation of the MNGC introduces this volume, which is composed of three parts : the first reports a general overview of the grapevine world industry and the incidence of infectious diseases on grape production ; the second part illustrates the state of knowledge on phloem-limited viruses existing before the establishment of the network and the distribution of these viruses in the Mediterranean and Near East ; the third part contains a complete bibliographic report 1985-97 on the viroses and virus-like diseases of the grapevine compiled by R. Bovey, secretary of the International Council for the Study of Virus and Virus-like Diseases of the Grapevine (ICVG).
