Journal of Plant Pathology (2007) 89, p. S39 (De Stradis et al.)

A. De Stradis, G. Parrella, C. Vovlas and A. Ragozzino (2007)
A rhabdovirus associated with hibiscus vein clearing disease in southern Italy
Journal of Plant Pathology 89 (3, Suppl.), S39-S39
Poster Presentation at S.I.Pa.V XIV National Meeting - Perugia, Italy 19-21 Sept. 2007
Abstract: Several commercial Hibiscus rosa-sinensis cultivars showing vein clearing symptoms were observed since 2005 in Campania and Calabria (Southern Italy) from which a virus was mechanically transmitted to herbaceous hosts. Nicotiana occidentalis and N. clevelandii reacted with yellow local lesions followed by systemic vein clearing, mottling, mosaic and stunting, whereas N. benthamiana and N. glutinosa developed only systemic symptoms and Gomphrena globosa reacted locally with reddish local lesions. No symptoms were observed in N. rustica, Chenopodium quinoa, C. amaranticolor and Citrullus vulgaris. Systemic symptoms in Nicotiana spp. appeared often about one month after inoculation. Electron microscope observation of leaf dips and ultrathin sections of chlorotic perninerval leaf areas revealed the consistent presence of rhabdovirus-like particles. Virions measured 230x70 nm and in thin sectioned cells were localized between the inner and outer membrane of the nuclear envelope. A similar disease of H. rosa-sinensis has been previously reported from Morocco, Tenerife and Rhodes. The associated virus was identified as an isolate of Eggplant mottled dwarf virus. This appears to be the first record of the natural occurrence of a nucleorhabdovirus in Italy in the same host. Since Hibiscus spp. are vegetatively propagated, the introduction of infected materials is strongly suspected as the cause of the widespread presence of Hibiscus vein clearing in southern Italy.
Database assignments for author(s): Angelo De Stradis, Giuseppe Parrella

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Alphanucleorhabdovirus melongenae	Hibiscus (crop)	Italy