Advances in and prospects for Actinidia viruses

Abstract

Kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.) is an economically important fruit crop worldwide. Before 2010, kiwifruit viruses had not received much attention; since then, more than 20 viruses infecting kiwifruit have been discovered. Some of these viruses cause severe yellowing, mosaic, necrosis, ringspots and other symptoms on leaves, seriously impacting yield and quality. Many of these viruses are widely distributed. This review summarizes recent research advances in the identification, genomic variation, distribution, transmission, detection, incidence, prevention and control of kiwifruit viruses and proposes directions for future research. Using virus-tested propagation material is the most economical and effective method for controlling kiwifruit viruses.