Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Plant Pathology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #279953

Title: Thrips transmission of a tospovirus reassortment

Author
item Webster, Craig
item Reitz, Stuart
item FRANTZ, GALEN - Glades Crop Care
item MELLINGER, H - Glades Crop Care
item FUNDERBURK, JOE - University Of Florida
item Adkins, Scott

Submitted to: American Phytopathology Society
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/1/2012
Publication Date: 8/1/2012
Citation: Webster, C.G., Reitz, S.R., Frantz, G., Mellinger, H.C., Funderburk, J., Adkins, S.T. 2012. Thrips transmission of a tospovirus reassortment. American Phytopathology Society. _.

Interpretive Summary: In late 2009 an M RNA reassortant of Groundnut ringspot virus (GRSV) and the closely related Tomato chlorotic spot virus (TCSV) was detected in tomato in south Florida. A subsequent increase in geographic and host ranges has been documented. Previous studies of the thrips vector specificities for the parental tospovirus species (GRSV and TCSV) are of limited use in predicting the vectors of the GRSV/TCSV reassortant because this is the first report of an interspecies tospovirus reassortant. Our initial work has shown that the reassortant can be acquired and transmitted by Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis), although at a low efficiency compared to Tomato spotted wilt virus. We are currently investigating the vectoring potential of several other important thrips species, including Florida flower thrips (Frankliniella bispinosa) and tobacco thrips (Frankliniella fusca). A detached leaf disc system has been used to examine the relative efficiency of these thrips species to acquire and transmit the reassortant. Acquisition of virus by thrips larvae and subsequent transmission to leaf discs was determined by serological and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction testing. Knowledge of the vectoring potential of these additional thrips species will benefit management strategies for this new tospovirus reassortant.

Technical Abstract: In late 2009 an M RNA reassortant of Groundnut ringspot virus (GRSV) and the closely related Tomato chlorotic spot virus (TCSV) was detected in tomato in south Florida. A subsequent increase in geographic and host ranges has been documented. Previous studies of the thrips vector specificities for the parental tospovirus species (GRSV and TCSV) are of limited use in predicting the vectors of the GRSV/TCSV reassortant because this is the first report of an interspecies tospovirus reassortant. Our initial work has shown that the reassortant can be acquired and transmitted by Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis), although at a low efficiency compared to Tomato spotted wilt virus. We are currently investigating the vectoring potential of several other important thrips species, including Florida flower thrips (Frankliniella bispinosa) and tobacco thrips (Frankliniella fusca). A detached leaf disc system has been used to examine the relative efficiency of these thrips species to acquire and transmit the reassortant. Acquisition of virus by thrips larvae and subsequent transmission to leaf discs was determined by serological and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction testing. Knowledge of the vectoring potential of these additional thrips species will benefit management strategies for this new tospovirus reassortant.