Date of Award:

5-1-1958

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department:

Biology

Department name when degree awarded

Entomology

Committee Chair(s)

G. F. Knowlton

Committee

G. F. Knowlton

Committee

G. Kaloostian

Abstract

The disease known as little cherry was first reported as seriously affecting sweet cherry plantings by diminishing size, color, and taste of mature fruits in 1933 (3) at Willow Point on the West Arm of Kootenay Lake in the Kootenay District of British Columbia (figure 1). In 1937, Milbrath (13), Plant Pathologist for the state of California, surveyed the little cherry area in the Kootenays to determine the relationship, if any, that little cherry might have with known stone fruit virus diseases of the U. S. A. His report stated little cherry disease did not resemble the California "buckskin" cherry disease nor did it resemble any other little cherry disease condition known at that time. During the years 1938-1946 considerable investigational work was carried out by Eastham, Hunt, and Foster of the British Columbia Department of Agriculture and Lott, McLarty, Newton, and Fitzpatrick of the Canada Department of Agriculture. A complete report published by Foster and Lott in 1947 (4) on this little cherry investigational work of 193 8-1946 included results of budding from diseased to healthy cherry trees, and test work with macro and micro elements, hormones, vitamins, and organic manures. Because little cherry showed no response to any type of cultural practices and because transmission of the little cherry condition from diseased to healthy cherry trees by budding had been accomplished, final verification of the virus nature of this disease was established. Twelve years after its discovery in Willow Point , little cherry disease had spread to nearly all orchards throughout the Kootenays (4) and had appeared in the Nakusp area of the upper Arrow Lakes region over 100 miles from its point of origin (figure 3).

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