Abstract
Apple fruit crinkle (AFC) is a graft-transmissible fruit disease of apple, so far found only in Japan. A viroid-like RNA was detected in association with this disease. Its molecular size was larger than that of apple scar skin viroid (ASSVd) and it did not hybridize with ASSVd-cDNA. In addition, it was transmitted to apple seedlings when they were inoculated by razor-slash method with its electrophoretically purified preparation. These results suggest that this viroid-like RNA is a novel apple viroid and that AFC is a new viroid disease distinct from apple scar skin. We propose to call this viroid apple fruit crinkle associated viroid.
