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Leaf mottle
Blueberry leaf mottle virus
Annemiek Schilder, MSU Plant Pathology
Bill Cline, NCSU Plant Pathology
Leaf mottle occurs only in Michigan and can be severe.

Symptoms
Leaves show a mottling pattern and may be malformed or straplike. Severely infected Rubel bushes have dead stems, a small amount of regrowth near the crown area, and little to no crop. Jersey or Blueray plants may be stunted and have small, pale, rosetted terminal leaves.

Pale, puckered terminal leaves

Disease cycle
The virus spreads via infected pollen carried by honeybees from diseased to healthy bushes up to 1 mile. Symptoms do not become apparent until 3 to 4 years after infection.

Management
Plant virus-tested clean plant-ing stock; test plants showing symptoms; remove and destroy infected plants; use herbicides to prevent regrowth from crown; place beehives as far as possible from infected areas; do not move hives from infected to healthy fields.
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Last Updated - 9/27/09