The growth of young peach trees following infection by the viruses of peach rosette and decline disease

Abstract

The vegetative growth of young peach trees was reduced greatly in the growing season following a dual infection with Prunus necrotic ringspot and prune dwarf viruses which caused the disease known as 'peach rosette and decline'. Ninety-two days after bud burst, the dry weight and leaf area of cv. Elberta scions were reduced by c. 60% as a result of infection, while the reduction in cv. Golden Queen was about 93%. The latter cultivar thus appears to be the less tolerant of infection by this virus disease.