Chrysanthemum stunt viroid found in petunia
A natural infection of a petunia plant (Petunia hybrida Surfinia) by chrysanthemum stunt viroid (EPPO A2 quarantine) was detected in the Netherlands. The affected plant showed mosaic, malformed leaves and growth reduction. Analysis showed that the plant was also infected by both tobacco mosaic tobamovirus and potato Y potyvirus. It is felt that most probably the viroid was not responsible for the symptoms observed in the infected petunia plant, as no symptoms were observed after graft or mechanical inoculation. The origin of the viroid infection could not be traced. This is the first time that chrysanthemum stunt viroid has been isolated from a naturally infected petunia plant. The authors concluded that chrysanthemum stunt viroid does not pose a significant threat to petunia cultivation as long as the viroid is absent from plants used for vegetative propagation. However, the symptomless nature of the infection makes necessary to test individual mother plants.
Sources
Verhoeven, J.T.J.; Arts, M.S.J.; Owens, R.A; Roenhorst, J.W. (1998) Natural infection of petunia by chrysanthemum stunt viroid.
European Journal of Plant Pathology, 104(4), 383-386