Studies on the occurrence of tomato bushy stunt virus in English rivers

Abstract

SUMMARY Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) of unknown source was isolated from water of the River Thames, near Oxford. The isolate designated TBSV‐T was mechanically transmissible to several tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) cvs and to other species including Petunia hybrida, pepper (Capsicum annuum). eggplant (Solanum melongena), Nicotiana clevelandii, Chenopodium amaranticolor and C. quinoa in which it caused systemic symptoms. It caused no infection of globe artichoke (Cynara scolymus) or Pelargonium domesticum. The virus was not adsorbed to soil and could be isolated from leachate of soil in which systemically‐infected tomato or C. quinoa plants were grown. Tomato plants became infected when grown in soil watered with virus suspensions. TBSV‐T was infective after 10 min at 80°C but not at 90°C and when diluted to 10‐5 but not to 10‐6. Purified virus preparations contained C. 30 nm isometric particles. In gel‐diffusion serological tests, TBSV‐T reacted with homologous anti‐serum and with antiserum to petunia asteroid mosaic virus but not to pelargonium leaf curl virus. Seed‐borne infection (50–65%) of TBSV was demonstrated in plants grown from seed of symptomlessly‐infected tomato fruit. TBSV was isolated from symptomlessly‐infected tomato fruit imported from Morocco during October‐April 1981. One of the isolates (TBSV‐M) was indistinguishable from TBSV‐T in host range, symptomatology and serological reactions. TBSV was also found in tomato plants growing extraneously in primary settlement beds at sewage works; such plants having been derived from undigested seeds in sewage. Because of its ‘alimentary‐resistance’ in man, it is possible that one ecological route whereby TBSV enters rivers is by man's consumption of TBSV‐infected tomatoes and eventual sewage dispersal into rivers.

Characterization of Tomato bushy stunt virus newly isolated from nipplefruit (Solanum mammosum) in Japan

“…One of the most probable modes for virus introduction is through RNA transcripts of TBSV-Nf were infectious both with and without a cap analog, as reported for TBSV-Ch seeds, as has been confirmed previously for TBSV in several plants (Allen 1969;Tomlinson and Faithfull 1984). Another possible way is soil transmission, as was also reported previously (Gerik et al 1990).…”

New tombusviruses isolated from surface waters in New Zealand

“…Several workers have discussed the potential hazards of infectious plant viruses in surface water (Koenig 1986;Horvath et al 1999;Tomlinson and Faithfull 1984;Tomlinson et al 1983;Sevik 2011). Indeed, some tombusviruses are serious pests of agricultural crops especially of tomato, eggplant, and pepper (Fischer and Lockhart 1977;Obermeier et al 2001;Makkouk et al 1981).…”

Infection of oats and other cereals by oat chlorotic stunt virus in the field and laboratory

“…2%. The reasons for these differences are unknown but localization of virus in the roots of infected plants is not unusual among soil-borne viruses, including members of the Tombusviridae (Tomlinson & Faithfull, 1984), although systemic infection also occurs (Russo et al, 1994).…”