Determination of the grapevine virome by high-throughput sequencing and grapevine viruses detection in Serra Gaucha, Brazil

Abstract

Among grapevine (Vitis spp.) pathogens, viruses stand out, considering that this fruit plant is broadly susceptible to them and that they cause several diseases, reducing quality and yield of grape production. However, detecting and identifying viral infections in grapevines can be challenging. The objectives of this study were to detect grapevine viral pathogens by high-throughput sequencing (HTS) and identify grapevine viruses associated with plant propagation material from different origins. A comprehensive picture of a vine exhibiting virus-related symptoms was generated. The detected virome included four different pathogens and their variants. In addition, the incidence of seven viral pathogens was determined in samples collected in three vineyards of the main grape-growing region of Brazil. It is suggested that the observed infections could be related to the technological level of the production system adopted by these grape growers.