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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Plant Pathology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #163630
Title: IDENTIFICATION OF TOMATO MOSAIC VIRUS INFECTION IN JASMINE

Author
item KAMENOVA, IVANKA - USDA, ARS, USHRL
item Adkins, Scott
item ACHOR, DIANN - UNIV. OF FLORIDA

Submitted to: Acta Horticulturae
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/1/2004
Publication Date: 10/10/2006
Citation: Kamenova, I., Adkins, S.T., Achor, D. 2006. Identification of tomato mosaic virus infection in jasmine. Acta Horticulturae.

Interpretive Summary: Among the different Jasminum species (Oleraceae), downy and star jasmine (Jasminum multiflorum) and wax jasmine (J. gracile) are commercially cultivated and commonly grown ornamentals in Florida. They are popular decorative shrubs widely planted around private gardens and public buildings for their long life, vigor and delicate smell from their flowers. Virus-like symptoms were recently observed on the leaves of landscape and nursery downy, star and wax jasmine plants in southeast Florida. Foliar symptoms included mottling, ring spots and chlorotic line patterns. The objective of this study was to identify the pathogen(s) associated with the disease symptoms observed on downy, star and wax jasmine plants. A virus isolated from downy jasmine was identified as Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) based on host range, symptoms, and serological and molecular analysis with supporting evidence from electron microscopy. ToMV infection was also identified in star (but not wax) jasmine by serological and molecular analysis. ToMV is associated with diseases in a wide variety of annual and perennial plants. With the detection of ToMV on downy and star jasmines, its wide host range has increased. To our knowledge, this is the first isolation and first identification of ToMV in jasmine in the USA.

Technical Abstract: Virus-like symptoms were recently observed on leaves of landscape and nursery downy and star jasmine (Jasminum multiflorum) and wax jasmine (J. gracile) in southeast Florida. Foliar symptoms included mottling, chlorotic ring spots and chlorotic line patterns. An agent was mechanically transmitted with difficulty from symptomatic leaves of downy jasmine to Nicotiana debneyi and N. tabacum 'Xanthi' and subsequently from these hosts to Chenopodium quinoa and other herbaceous test plants. Virions were isolated from N. tabacum 'Xanthi.' Rod-shaped particles (297 x 18 nm) similar to tobamoviruses were observed in partially purified virus preparations, and in leaf dips from symptomatic star jasmine and indicator plants. Extraction of viral-associated double-stranded (ds) RNA revealed a profile consistent with that of a tobamovirus. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis showed that the virus contained one polypeptide with an approximate molecular weight (Mr) of 18 kDa. The virus reacted specifically with IgG for Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and related tobamoviruses [including Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV)] in double antibody sandwich, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. No reaction was observed with TMV specific IgG. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction with total RNA isolated from symptomatic jasmine leaves and infected N. tabacum 'Xanthi' using ToMV coat protein specific primers amplified the expected product from downy and star (but not wax) jasmine and N. tabacum 'Xanthi.' The nucleotide and amino acid sequence of the products were 100% identical to the corresponding fragment of a Brazilian isolate of ToMV from Impatiens. To our knowledge, this the first report of ToMV in jasmine in the USA.