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Title: FIRST REPORT OF TOBACCO STREAK VIRUS IN STRAWBERRY IN THE EASTERN UNITED STATES

Author
item Hokanson, Stan
item Martin, Robert
item Maas, John

Submitted to: Plant Disease
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/4/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Viruses cause economically important diseases of strawberry in the United States. Little is known about the present strawberry virus situation in the eastern United States. In order to determine the impact of viruses in the eastern states, a survey of 23 commercial strawberry farms was made in Maryland, in which 1,100 leaf samples from individual plants were evaluated for virus identification with enzyme linked immunosorbant assays (ELISA). Viruses identified were strawberry crinkle virus, strawberry mild yellow edge potexvirus, strawberry veinbanding virus, strawberry mottle virus, and tomato ringspot virus, all of which are known to occur in eastern U.S. However, tobacco streak virus (TSV) also was identified in 17 of the samples. This is the first report of TSV infecting strawberry in the eastern United States. This information will benefit growers, extension personnel, and researchers in identification and elimination of virus-infected plants and to emphasize the importance of establishing plantings with certified virus-tested transplants.

Technical Abstract: In a 1998 virus survey of 23 commercial strawberry farms in Maryland, 1,100 leaf samples from individual, randomly-sampled plants were sent to the USDA laboratory in Corvallis, OR for virus identification with enzyme linked immunosorbant assays (ELISA). Viruses identified were strawberry crinkle virus, strawberry mild yellow edge potexvirus, strawberry veinbanding virus, strawberry mottle virus, and tomato ringspot virus, all of which are known to occur in eastern U.S. However, tobacco streak virus (TSV) also was identified in 17 of the samples; 12 originated from a one-year-old planting of Sweet Charlie strawberry and five originated from another farm, of which four were from a two-year-old planting of Sweet Charlie and one sample from a two-year-old planting of Delmarvel strawberry. Triple antibody sandwich (TAS)-ELISA was used to detect TSV in strawberry leaves. An independent determination of TSV was made in strawberry plants shipped from Florida to Maryland in 1999. In this instance, leaf samples of cultivar Sweet Charlie plants were sent by the Maryland Department of Agriculture to a commercial diagnostic laboratory for virus identification where samples tested positive for TSV. This is the first report of TSV infecting strawberry in the eastern United States.