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Temperate Pulse Viruses: Bean Leafroll Virus (BLRV)

Note Number: AG1252
Published: June 2006
Updated: June 2011 

Bean leafroll virus (BLRV) also known as pea leafroll virus, is distributed worldwide, but was not reported in Australia until 1999. The virus is transmitted by aphids in a persistent manner, but not through inoculation of sap or through seed. Virus infected legume plants show yellowing, leaf rolling and significant reduction in pod setting. Yield losses of 50-90% have been reported in Europe. The natural host range is limited to the Fabaceae family. The virus infection may be minimised by early spraying for aphids. Other control measures include sowing virus resistant varieties, aphid monitoring and spraying and eradication of virus source plants.

What to look for

The general symptoms of BLRV on pulses are interveinal chlorosis, yellowing, stunting and leaf rolling. These symptoms could easily be confused with subterranean clover stunt virus (SCSV) or other luteoviruses such as beet western yellows virus (BWYV) and subterranean clover red leaf virus (SCRLV) or nutrient stress symptoms.

Symptoms on specific crops are as follows:

  • Faba beans develop interveinal yellowing, top yellowing, upward rolling of leaves and stunting of plants (Figure 1).
  • Lentils develop yellowing; small leaves and stunting of plant (Figure 2).
  • Chickpeas develop yellowing and stunting of plants (Figure 3).
  • Vetch develops yellow leaves and tip necrosis (Figure 4).
  • Lucerne is usually symptomless, but bright yellow vein clearing may be associated with infection.
  • Field peas develop stunting, yellowing of young leaf tips, and sometimes downward leaf rolling.
  • Sub-clover and crimson clover develop interveinal yellowing followed by reddening at margins of older leaves.
  • White clover develops yellowing, reddening and rolling of leaves..
Fig 1. Field symptoms of BLRV on faba bean; yellowing stunting and leathery upright and small leaves Fig 2. BLRV on lentil develops stunting and yellowing (right) and healthy plant on the left (Photograph courtesy of Safaa Kumari ICARDA)

Fig 1. Field symptoms of BLRV on faba bean; yellowing stunting and leathery upright and small leaves

 

Fig 2. BLRV on lentil develops stunting and
yellowing (right) and healthy plant on the left (Photograph courtesy of Safaa Kumari ICARDA)
Fig 3. Chickpea develops tip yellowing and stunting (Photograph courtesy of Safaa Kumari ICARDA) Fig 4. BLRV symptoms on vetch (left) and healthy shoot (right)

Fig 3. Chickpea develops tip yellowing and stunting. (Photograph courtesy of Safaa Kumari ICARDA)

Fig 4. BLRV symptoms on vetch (left) and healthy shoot (right)

 

Disease cycle

Transmission

BLRV is transmitted by several aphid species in a persistent manner, it is not transmitted mechanically and not through seed. Pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) is the principal vector of BLRV. The following species are also reported as vectors of BLRV, foxglove aphid (Aulacorthum. solani), cowpea aphid (Aphis craccivora), black bean aphid (Aphis fabae) not found in Australia, cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii), potato aphid (Macrosiphum euphorbiae), vetch aphid (Megoura viciae) and the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae). In DPI surveys the two most common aphid vectors of BLRV found on faba bean, vetch and lentil are cowpea aphid (Aphis craccivora) and green peach aphid (Myzus persicae). 

Host range

The natural host range of BLRV is limited to the Fabaceae family. It infects temperate pulses (faba bean, field pea, chickpea, lentil, vetch), other legumes (soybean, sweet pea, French bean, cowpea) and pastures (lucerne, white clover, red clover and subterranean clover). In experiments BLRV is transmitted to three of 17 non-legume hosts (Ashby 1984).

Economic importance

In Europe 50-90% yield losses have been reported (Heathcote and Gibbs 1962). In NSW up to 37% incidence of BLRV has been reported on faba beans (Van Leur et al. 2002). DPI surveys of pulse crops in the last 10 years indicate that BLRV is an important virus of faba bean and field pea crops in south eastern Australia (Table 1).   

Table1: Percentage of pulse crops infected with bean leafroll virus in south eastern Australia and within crop virus incidence

Virus Survey Lentil Fababean Chickpea Field pea
State/Year % of sampled crops infected Within crop virus incidence range % % of sampled crops infected Within crop virus incidence range % % of sampled crops infected Within crop virus incidence range % % of sampled crops infected Within crop virus incidence range %

Victoria

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
2004 16 1-2 27 1-13 0 0 0 0
2006 * * * * * * 50 2-87
2007 38 1-2 7 2 0 0 62 1-5
2009 * * * * 8 1 * *

South Australia

                
2003 0 0 4 4 0 0 0 0
2004 29 1-2 65 1-27 * * 11 1-2
2005 0 0 0 0 * * 0 0
2006 60 1-2 100 18-53 0 0 0 0
2007 22 4-6 25 3-10 0 0 27 1-3
2009 * * * * 8 2 * *

New South Wales

                
2006 Southern * * 100 28-42 * * 63 1-50
2009 Southern * * * * 29 1-5 * *
2009 Northern * * * * 24 1-9 * *

Note: *= crop not sampled/not tested; 0= virus not found.

In 2006 in South Australia 88% of lupin crops were infected having within crop incidence of 3-15%. In 2007 in South Australia 20% of lupin crops were infected having within crop incidence of 5%.

Management

Crop monitoring, and spraying for aphids is essential if the population of aphids develops early in the season. Disease resistant varieties should be sown in the high incidence areas. Breeding of pulses for BLRV resistance is being undertaken at NSW-DPI, Tamworth. Currently, field trials are being conducted on virus screening nurseries to find BLRV resistant cultivars but no resistant varieties have been released yet. Virus reservoir weeds and volunteer legume hosts should be eradicated. Legume crops should be rotated with cereal crops to reduce the virus and vector sources.

Further references

Pulse Australia
Victorian Winter Crop Summary
Winter Pulse Disorders: The Ute Guide.
Seed Health Testing in Pulse Crops (AG1250)
Virus control in chickpea–special considerations
Tech-Note 2010 Chickpea “sudden death” in 2009


Ashby JW (1984) CMI/AAB Descriptions of Plant Viruses, No 286, 4pp.
Cockbain AJ and Gibbs AJ (1973) Annals of Applied Biology 73, 177-187.
Heathcote GD and Gibbs AJ (1962) Virus diseases in British crops of field beans (Vicia faba). Plant Pathology 11, 69-73.
Schwinghamer MW, Johnstone, GR, Lord-Johnston CF (1999) First report of Bean Leafroll Luteovirus in Australia. APP 28, 260. 
Van Leur J, Makkouk K, Freeman A and Schilg M (2002) Occurrence of viruses in faba bean on the Liverpool plains, northern NSW. In proceedings, 8th International Congress of Plant Pathology, 2-7 February 2002, Christchurch New Zealand.

Ashby JW (1984) CMI/AAB Descriptions of Plant Viruses, No 286, 4pp.
Cockbain AJ and Gibbs AJ (1973) Annals of Applied Biology 73, 177-187.
Heathcote GD and Gibbs AJ (1962) Virus diseases in British crops of field beans (Vicia faba). Plant Pathology 11, 69-73.
Schwinghamer MW, Johnstone, GR, Lord-Johnston CF (1999) First report of Bean Leafroll Luteovirus in Australia. APP 28, 260.
Van Leur J, Makkouk K, Freeman A and Schilg M (2002) Occurrence of viruses in faba bean on the Liverpool plains, northern NSW. In proceedings, 8th International Congress of Plant Pathology, 2-7 February 2002, Christchurch New Zealand.

Contact/Services available from DPI

DPI Field Crops Pathology, Grains Innovation Park, 110 Natimuk Rd, Horsham 3400. Tel (03) 5362 2111, or the DPI Customer Service Centre 136 186.

Acknowledgement

This Information Note (AG1252) was originally written by Mohammad Aftab and Angela Freeman, Bacteriology & Virology – DPI Horsham, August 2005. It was reviewed by Frank Henry, BioSciences Research - Farm Services Victoria, June 2011. Financial support by the GRDC is gratefully acknowledged.

 

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