Detection of Dracaena mottle badnavirus in Australia

Publication Date

Thu, 30 Apr 2009, 00:00

Last Updated

June 30, 2015, 5:44 a.m.

Report Number

AUS-25/2

Country

Australia

Pest Id

Dracaena mottle virus - (DRMV00)

Report Status

Final

Hosts

Happy plant Dracaena spp

Pest Status (old values from ISPM 8 -1998 )

• Present: at low prevalence

Pest Status (ISPM 8 - 2021)

• Present: at low prevalence

Geographical Distribution

Present - probably widespread

Summary

Draceana mottle badnavirus was first detected in June 2008 from samples in imported adult Dracaena plants (both symptomless and symptomatic) in a quarantine nursery in NSW. Using a generic badnavirus PCR test to determine whether this badnavirus was already present in Australia, tests on local Dracaena plants detected the badnavirus. Given the asymptomatic infection, it is possible the virus has entered through previous consignments.

If this is the case, the badnavirus is likely to be widespread across Australian nurseries as Dracaena plants have been regularly imported and traded between Australian nurseries for a number of years.

Eradication is therefore unlikely.

Danger

The Draceana mottle badnavirus causes chlorotic spotting on foliage. Badnavirus are known to integrate their genome into the host and PCR results cannot distinguish between inactive badnavirus and active virus particles capable of causing disease symptoms.

Contact for info

Australian Chief Plant Protection Officer Australian Government Department of Agriculture, GPO Box 858 Canberra ACT 2601 Australia [email protected]

Report files

Website

Issue keywords

Pest status:Present/Presence

Commodity keywords