Polymyxa betae zoospores as vectors of beet necrotic yellow vein furovirus1

Abstract

When beet seedlings exposed as bait plants in infested soil were placed in a nutrient solution, they released Polymyxa betae zoospores, infected with beet necrotic yellow vein furovirus. The roots produced the first zoospores 5 days after the start of soil baiting. When seedlings were inoculated with zoospore suspensions, infection occurred within 5 min and reached a maximum in 30 min. The suspensions remained infectious for at least 2 h after removal of the bait plants from which the zoospores were released. So many spores were released into the suspension that disease transmission could be obtained within half an hour from an infected plant to a healthy plant, placed together into fresh medium. Suspensions could be diluted 1/16 with nutrient solution without any loss of infectivity, whereas 1/4 dilution with tap water resulted in a complete loss of infectivity.