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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Griffin, Georgia » Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #96668
Title: FIRST REPORT OF PEANUT STUNT CUCUMOVIRUS NATURALLY INFECTING DESMODIUM SP.

Author
item Gillaspie, Athey - Graves
item GHABRIAL, S - UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY

Submitted to: Plant Disease
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/7/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Peanut stunt virus was detected in plants of Desmodium in germplasm regeneration plots at Griffin, Georgia. This is the first report of this virus naturally infecting this host. This genus of plants contains many weedy plants (beggarweed and beggarlice) as well as some forage and cover crop types. There is currently no evidence of seed transmission of the virus in this host, but perrenial weedy types growing next to peanut or cowpea fields could serve as overwintering hosts for the virus. Such a relationship could then be a source for early infection in these fields.

Technical Abstract: Plants of Desmodium sp. in germplasm regeneration plots in Georgia were detected with natural infection of peanut stunt virus (PSV) as determined by serology (ELISA). Host range studies produced the expected symptoms for PSV on tobacco, cowpea, and Chenopodium amaranticolor. A greenhouse study of seed transmissibility failed to show any such transmission, but only 100 0seedlings from infected Desmodium were tested. This is the first report o this virus/host combination naturally and perennial desmodium plants growing near peanut or cowpea fields could play a role in overwintering of this virus.