Modes of vector transmission of Cherry leaf roll virus (CLRV) - molecular basis and potential arthropod vector species

樱桃卷叶病毒（Cherry Leaf Roll Virus，CLRV）是一种具有重要经济和生态意义的植物病原病毒。它在全球范围内广泛分布于森林、果树和观赏树木和灌木中。在樱桃和核桃生产的几个地区，CLRV造成产量和质量的严重损失。目前参考的快速传播和强烈的症状表现在芬兰桦树和德国广泛分布的CLRV桦树和接骨木，我们不断调查，并逐步揭示CLRV传播途径的花粉，种子或水。然而，模式和相互作用负责广泛的属间宿主传播，以及特殊的CLRV流行在芬诺斯堪的纳维亚仍然是未知的。在本项目中，系统研究将调查生物病媒作为病原体，以最终得出控制机制和战略，避免在不同宿主和地理区域发生新的流行病。对德国和芬兰的桦树林/森林和接骨木种植园的无脊椎动物群进行详细监测，将发现潜在的病媒，随后通过批准的病毒检测方法和传播实验对其进行详细研究。CLRV外壳蛋白的分子分析应证明其作为病毒/载体相互作用的病毒决定因子的作用。因此，该项目基本上将有助于CLRV流行病学的重要答案，这将是第一个森林树木中植物病毒病原体研究网络的关键要素。

Cherry leaf roll virus (CLRV) is a plant pathogen of economic and ecologic importance. It is globally distributed in a wide range of forest, fruit, and ornamental trees and shrubs. In several areas of cherry and walnut production CLRV causes severe losses in yield and quality. With current reference to the rapid dissemination and strong symptom expression in Finnish birches and the Germany-wide distribution of CLRV in birches and elderberry, we continuously investigate and gradually reveal CLRV transmission pathways as by pollen, seeds or water. However, modes and interactions responsible for the wide intergeneric host transmission as well as for the exceptional CLRV epidemic in Fennoscandia still remain unknown. In this project systematic studies shall investigate biological vectors as a causal agent to finally derive control mechanisms and strategies to avoid new epidemics in different hosts and geographic regions. Detailed monitoring of the invertebrate fauna of birch stands/forests and elderberry plantations in Germany and Finland shall reveal potential vectors to subsequently study them in detail by approved virus detection methods and transmission experiments. Molecular analyses of the CLRV coat protein shall prove its role as a viral determinant for a virus/vector interaction. Consequently, this project essentially will contribute important answers on the CLRV epidemiology, and this will be a key element within the first network of research on plant viral pathogens in forest trees.