Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Charleston, South Carolina » Vegetable Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #306711
Title: First report of tomato chlorotic spot virus infecting tomatoes in Ohio

Author
item BAYSAL-GUREL, FULYA - The Ohio State University
item Li, Rugang
item Ling, Kai-Shu
item MILLER, SALLY - The Ohio State University

Submitted to: Plant Disease
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/1/2014
Publication Date: 1/1/2015
Citation: Baysal-Gurel, F., Li, R., Ling, K., Miller, S. 2015. First report of tomato chlorotic spot virus infecting tomatoes in Ohio. Plant Disease. 99:163.

Interpretive Summary: An emerging viral disease, with unusual severe fruit deformation, discoloration and necrotic ringspot symptoms, was observed on high tunnel tomatoes in Wayne County, Ohio, in 2013, with an estimated disease incidence of 15%. Preliminary results in a serological test showed the involvement of a thrips-transmitted tospovirus. Upon sequence analysis of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product, Tomato chlorotic spot virus (TCSV) was identified for the first time in Ohio, only a second state besides Florida. With efficient thrips transmission and its broad host range, this wide geographic distribution of TCSV could pose a significant threat to the U.S. vegetable productions.

Technical Abstract: An emerging disease, with virus-like symptoms of deformation, discoloration and necrotic ringspots on green and red fruits of tomato, were observed in a commercial high tunnel in Wayne Co., Ohio, in the summer of 2013. Incidence of affected fruit was estimated to be 15%. Four symptomatic fruits were tested positive using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for two serologically cross reactive Tospoviruses [Groundnut ringspot virus (GRSV) and Tomato chlorotic spot virus (TCSV)]. An expected RT-PCR product (~290 bp) was generated using primers for TCSV but not for GRSV. Sequence analysis showed to have 99% sequence identity to the TCSV Florida isolate and 94% to the TCSV Physalis isolate. TCSV has been reported in Brazil, Puerto Rico, and Florida in the U.S. To our knowledge, this is the first report of TCSV infecting tomatoes in Ohio. Because TCSV is transmitted by thrips and has a broad host range, this emerging virus could pose a significant threat to the U.S. vegetable production.