At a Glance
- Little cherry disease (LChD) produces fruit that is small, poorly coloured, and unmarketable.
- Fruit quality loss may include low sugar content or bitter flavour, depending on the causal agent.
- Symptoms are most visible only in the week before harvest, making early detection difficult.
- The primary causal agents are Little Cherry Virus‑2 (LChV2) and X‑disease phytoplasma.
- The disease spreads through grafting, root grafting, and insect vectors.
- Immediate removal of infected trees is critical to limit orchard‑wide spread.
- Proper sampling and lab testing are required for confirmation.
Little Cherry Disease – Technical Reference (PDF)
The document below provides detailed information on symptoms, transmission pathways, sampling protocols, and management approaches for Little Cherry Disease in British Columbia.
Resource credit: BC Cherry Association (BCCA)
Download the full document: Little Cherry Disease reference (PDF)
Additional Resources
Further guidance on scouting, symptom recognition, and sample collection is available from Washington State University or the Tree Fruit Production Guide:
WSU – Little Cherry Scouting and Sampling Resources
This resource complements the BCCA reference by providing step‑by‑step, field‑level examples for identifying symptoms and collecting representative samples.