ARS | Publication request: Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus detected in pigweed in Florida

Submitted to: Plant Disease
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: December 3, 2010
Publication Date: February 10, 2011
Citation: Webster, C.G., Kousik, C.S., Roberts, P., Rosskopf, E.N., Turechek, W., Adkins, S.T. 2011. Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus detected in pigweed in Florida. Plant Disease. 95(3):360.

Interpretive Summary: Pigweed is a common weed in crop production throughout the world. Samples of this plant were collected near a virus infected watermelon field and found to be infected with Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CSYDV). This virus has become an important disease of cucurbits in Texas, Arizona, and California. This represents a new host for this virus in Florida which may be important for effective management of CYSDV in cucurbit crops.

Technical Abstract: Samples were collected from pigweed, a species of Amaranth, that were in proximity to virus-infected watermelons in south Florida. No symptoms of virus infection were observed on the weed samples; however, testing by two independent methods found infection by Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV). Nucleic acid sequencing confirmed high identity with previously reported isolates of this virus.