Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #337085
Title: Identification of Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) and Potato latent virus (PotLV) as mixed infection in Chinese lantern (Physalis alkekengi) in the United States

Author
item DIAZ-LARA, ALFREDO - Oregon State University
item SANTAMARIA, LUISA - Oregon State University
item Martin, Robert

Submitted to: Plant Disease
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/21/2017
Publication Date: 4/7/2017
Citation: Diaz-Lara, A., Santamaria, L., Martin, R.R. 2017. Identification of Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) and Potato latent virus (PotLV) as mixed infection in Chinese lantern (Physalis alkekengi) in the United States. Plant Disease. 101(6):1061. doi: 10.1094/PDIS-01-17-0021-PDN.

Interpretive Summary: Chinese lantern is a popular ornamental plant in the United State because of its colorful inflated calyx (similar to a paper lantern). During the summer of 2016, several Chinese lantern plants showing virus-like symptoms were observed in a commercial field in Canby, Oregon exhibiting stunting, chlorotic mottling and leaf deformation. Two viruses, Potato latent virus and Tomato mosaic virus were detected in these plants using multiple types of tests. Even though these viruses have been detected in North America affecting a wide range of host plants previously, there are no reports of mixed infections. ToMV and PotLV can be spread by insects, therefore, measures need to be taken to prevent the potential shift of the viral complex to other economically more important crops, such as tomato and potato. Finally, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a natural mixed infection by PotLV and ToMV worldwide.

Technical Abstract: Chinese lantern (Physalis alkekengi L., family Solanaceae) is a popular ornamental plant in the United State because of its colorful inflated calyx (similar to a paper lantern). On the other hand, Chinese lantern can spread aggressively, becoming a weedy plant and pathogen reservoir. During the summer of 2016, several Chinese lantern plants showing virus-like symptoms were observed in a commercial field in Canby, OR; such symptoms consisted of: stunting, chlorotic mottling and leaf deformation on leaves. In order to determine virus infectivity, symptomatic leaves of Chinese lantern were used as inoculum source in mechanical transmissions assays onto, which included Cucurbita pepo, Chenopodium quinoa and Nicotiana benthamiana as herbaceous host indicator plants. All attempts at mechanical transmission were successful (four repetitions per indicator plant), inducing necrotic local lesions and systemic yellowing in C. pepo and C. quinoa, while N. benthamiana plants died. The presence of putative RNA viruses in the Chinese lantern plants was examined through double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) purification, which yielded two molecules with high-molecular-weight (between 6 and 8 kb). The obtained dsRNA was cloned and sequenced. Sequencing analysis of 48 clones identified nucleotide (nt) sequence homology (average identity above 97%) to Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV, 22 clones) and Potato latent virus (PotLV, 6 clones) from the GenBank. Detection primers were designed to target the ToMV and PotLV replicase genes. RT-PCR tests with the primers designed from the sequences available amplified ~1,000-bp fragment from each virus, which exhibited 99.9 and 98.9% nt sequence identity with ToMV strain L11Y and PotLV in a BLAST searching. Even though these viruses have been detected in North America affecting a wide range of host plants, there are no previous reports of mixed infections. ToMV and PotLV can be spread by insects, therefore, measures need to be taken to prevent the potential shift of the viral complex to other economically more important crops, such tomato and potato.