The primary hosts of PDV are cherry, plum and peach. PDV can replicate in
many tissues and is pollen transmissible. Some strains may find a natural
reservoire in hedges of Prunus spinosa , from where other Prunus species
flowering at the same time may be contaminated.
It exists in distinct strains causing demaging lesions and necrotic spots
on cherry leaves and stunting of peach and plum trees. In some apricots it
can induce gummosis on the trunk.
On sweet cherry the infection rate can be above 30 % without major economic impact,
since most of the isolates are not very virulent or epidemic. Sour cherry
trees are in contrast very susceptible. Trees become skeletal and defoliated
with low yield.