Further evidence of Mirafiori lettuce big-vein virus but not of Lettuce big-vein associated virus with big-vein disease in lettuce.

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Mirafiori lettuce big-vein virus (MLBVV) and Lettuce big-vein associated virus (LBVaV) are found in association with big-vein disease of lettuce. Discrimination between the two viruses is critical for elucidating the etiology of big-vein disease. Using specific antibodies to MLBVV and LBVaV for western blotting and exploiting differences between MLBVV and LBVaV in host reaction of cucumber and temperature dependence in lettuce, we separated the two viruses by transfering each virus from doubly infected lettuce plants to cucumber or lettuce plants. A virus-free fungal isolate was allowed to acquire the two viruses individually or together. To confirm the separation, zoospores from MLBVV-, LBVaV-, and dually infected lettuce plants were used for serial inoculations of lettuce seedlings 12 successive times. Lettuce seedlings were infected at each transfer either with MLBVV alone, LBVaV alone, or both viruses together, depending on the virus carried by the vector. Lettuce seedlings infected with MLBVV alone developed the big-vein symptoms, while those infected with LBVaV alone developed no symptoms. In field surveys, MLBVV was consistently detected in lettuce plants from big-vein-affected fields, whereas LBVaV was detected in lettuce plants not only from big-vein-affected fields but also from big-vein-free fields. LBVaV occurred widely at high rates in winter-spring lettuce-growing regions irrespective of the presence of MLBVV and, hence, of the presence of the big-vein disease.