Abstract:
Grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV) is one of the most severe virus diseases in vineyards worldwide. It causes extensive
leaf yellowing, stem and leaf deformation, reduced fruit quality, substantial crop loss and shortened longevity of
vineyards. GFLV is transmitted specifically from grapevine to grapevine by the ectoparasitic nematode Xiphinema
index, and belongs to the genus Nepovirus in the family Comoviridae. During 2009 and 2011 a sanitary survey was
conducted in the ampelographic collection of the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Iaşi
(Romania) on 170 cultivars belonging to Vitis spp. Our objectives were to determine the presence and distribution of
GFLV across the ampelographic collection, and to find out if the virus titre fluctuation is cultivar specific. Leaf samples
were taken during spring season from vines exhibiting virus-like symptoms or general vine decline. Three mature leaves
including the petiole from different sections of the vine, keeping between the first and fifth node from the base of the
vine were collected in dry, cool weather. The results of DAS-ELISA test confirm that virus was present in 29 grapevine
cultivars (17.1% of total) from the ampelographic collection. Infected vine cultivars with the highest OD (optical
density) values were Gordan, Newburger, Cioinic, Galbenă de Odobeşti, Blauerzweigelt and Merlot.
