First report of European mountain ash ringspot-associated emaravirus (EMARaV) in serviceberry in Germany

Amelanchier shrubs cultivated in the public or private urban green space in the cities of Oldenburg (Lower Saxony, Germany) and Berlin (Berlin, Germany) were sampled exhibiting chlorotic ringspots, mottle and line patterns on leaves. The disease showed resemblance to characteristic symptoms caused by European mountain ash ringspot-associated emaravirus (EMARaV) in rowans (Sorbus aucuparia). To confirm the presence of the virus in the samples, total RNA was extracted and tested by RT-PCR applying a genus specific primer set to detect the RNA1 (Elbeaino et al. 2013) and EMARaV-specific primers targeting the RNA2, RNA3 (Mielke & Mühlbach 2008), and RNA4 (Roßbach et al. 2015). All four RNAs of EMARaV were detectable in the four serviceberries exhibiting symptoms and confirmed by sequencing of PCR products. Complete viral genome segments were amplified by RT-PCR from sample E55282 applying a primer targeting the conserved terminal regions of emaraviruses acc. to Di Bello et al. (2015). PCR products were cloned and sequenced confirming the complete RNA3 and RNA4 of EMARaV.