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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 #139160
Title: BIOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATON OF A NOVEL TOB0MOVIRUS WITH A UNIQUE HOST RANGE

Author
item Adkins, Scott
item KAMENOVA, IVANKA - USDA-ARS
item ACHOR, DIANN - UNIV OF FL - CREC
item LEWANDOWSKI, DENNIS - UNIV OF FL - CREC

Submitted to: International Conference on Tropical and Subtropical Plant Diseases
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/1/2002
Publication Date: 1/1/2003
Citation: Adkins, S.T., Kamenova, I., Achor, D., Lewandowski, D. 2003. Biological and molecular characterizaton of a novel tob0movirus with a unique host range. International Conference on Tropical and Subtropical Plant Diseases. 87:1190-1196

Interpretive Summary: Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) is a popular landscape plant in the southern U.S. It is generally propagated vegetatively via cuttings, making the transmission of viruses from stock plants a potentially serious problem. The data presented suggest that the Florida hibiscus virus is a novel tobamovirus with a unique host range. This appears to be the first extensive characterization of a tobamovirus that infects malvaceous plants.

Technical Abstract: Foliar symptoms suggestive of virus infection, including diffuse chlorotic spots and rings, were observed in hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) landscape plantings in Florida, USA. Electron microscopy of leaf dips prepared from symptomatic hibiscus leaves revealed rod-shaped particles consistent with those of a tobamovirus. An agent was mechanically transmitted to indicator hosts including five malvaceous species. Malvaceous plants have not previously been reported as hosts for any of the recognized tobamoviruses. Cloning, sequencing and analysis of the putative coat protein open reading frame, coupled with the virus' unique host range, suggest that this is a novel tobamovirus.