The effect of gooseberry vein banding virus on the growth and yield of gooseberry and red currant

Abstract

SummaryA meristem clone of gooseberry cv Careless consistently outyielded otherwise comparable bushes infected with gooseberry vein banding virus (GVBV). In each of two seasons the yield increase exceeded 15%. Cuttings from uninfected bushes grew faster and survived better than those from infected bushes. Only five of 496 bushes became infected with GVBV within six years when grown in seven commercial plantings in Kent and Cambridgeshire. Red currant bushes cv Jonkheer van Tets infected with GVBV yielded less than GVBV-free controls but variability was great, and half of the control bushes became infected within six years. Cuttings from uninfected bushes grew more vigorously than those from infected ones.