Detection and monitoring of Tomato Ringspot Virus in red raspberry and Xiphinema americanum.
Overview
Washington and Oregon account for 85% of national raspberry production and 15% of worldwide production. Growers from Washington and Oregon harvest over 80 million pounds of raspberries on about 12,000 acres. Tomato ringspot virus (ToRSV) continues to be a problem in raspberry production in the Willamette Valley in Oregon, and in southern Washington. The predominant mode of spread of ToRSV is via the nematode vector Xiphinema americanum, also known as “Dagger” nematodes. Methyl bromide is often a method of choice for managing ToRSV and other nematode-borne plant viruses because it kills the nematode vectors. However, ToRSV often reappears within 3-4 years of fumigation with methyl bromide.