Impatiens necrotic spot tospovirus on ornamental and vegetable crops in Italy
In Italy, impatiens necrotic spot tospovirus (INSV - EU Annexes I/B ; II/A2) was first found in 1993 on ornamental crops (Bouvardia sp. and Fatsia japonica). Later it was detected, alone or in combination with tomato spotted wilt tospovirus, on the following ornamental species: Anemone sp., Anthirrinum majus, Ranunculus sp., Limonium sinuatum, Pittosporum tobira, Zantedeschia aethiopica, Columnea, sp., Gerbera sp., Sinningia speciosa, Begonia sp., Impatiens sp., Lobelia sp. and Eustoma grandiflorum. A survey carried out in 1995 and 1996 in Emilia-Romagna, Toscana and Lazio (using ELISA and electron microscopy techniques) revealed that INSV infections were increasing, and could also involve vegetable crops. Concerning ornamentals, INSV was found on Gerbera in Lazio and Toscana (in association with tomato spotted wilt tospovirus), on Fatsia japonica in Lazio and on Cyclamen in Toscana. The pathogen was found on glasshouse cucumber (Cucumis sativus) in Emilia-Romagna. Affected plants showed small chlorotic rings on dwarfed, deformed and wrinkled cucumber fruits. In 1996, outdoor lettuce plants (Lactuca sativa) showing symptoms of vein necrosis, necrosis of apical bud and growth suppression were observed in Emilia-Romagna. In addition, some plants were showing dense chlorotic concentric rings and leaf deformation. The presence of INSV was demonstrated in these plants. It was also observed that high populations of Frankliniella occidentalis (EPPO A2 quarantine pest) occurred in infected lettuce fields. The authors pointed out that this is the first report of a natural INSV infection on outdoor vegetable crops grown in Italy.
Sources
Vicchi, V.; Bellardi, M.G. (1997) Impatiens necrotic spot tospovirus (INSV) infecting ornamental and vegetable crops in Italy.
Proceedings of the 10th Congress of the Mediterranean Phytopathological Union, 1997-06-01/05, Montpellier (FR), 91-93.
Vicchi, V.; Bellardi, M.G. (1997) [Impatiens necrotic spot tospovirus infection on lettuce in Italy].
Informatore Fitopatologico, no. 3, 55-57.