An integrating Badnavirus infects blackberry

Blackberry yellow vein disease (BYVD) has had a major effect in production where endemic. In the last decade, several new RNA viruses associated with the disease, have been identified. This communication reports a DNA virus infecting a significant number of BYVD-affected plants. Experiments were conducted to characterize the virus, identify its geographic distribution and host range and study its population structure. The new virus shows significant similarities to members of the genus Badnavirus, family Caulimoviridae and poses a major caveat for blackberry as it has the potential to integrate into the host genome.