Six viruses identified in potato plants grown in Alabama, U.S.A.

Abstract

A survey was conducted for virus-infected potato plants in commercial production fields in Baldwin, Cullman, DeKalb, and Jackson counties in Alabama. Infected plants were assessed visually, i.e., on the basis of occurrence of virus-like symptoms, and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In 1997, potato plants were tested for Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Potato virus Y (PVY) and Tobacco etch virus (TEV). PVY was detected from foliar samples collected from Baldwin, Cullman, and Jackson counties. Neither CMV nor TEV were detected in any of the samples. In 1998, potato plants were once again tested for the presence of CMV, PVY, and TEV, with additional analyses for Potato viruse A (PVA), Potato M (PVM), Potato S (PVS), Potato X (PVX), and Potato leafroll virus (PLRV). Four viruses were detected from potato leaf samples collected from Baldwin County: PVS, PVX, PVY, and PLRV. Samples collected from DeKalb and Jackson counties were shown to be infected with CMV, PVA, PVS, PVX, and PVY. Identification of virus infection based on visual assessment was relatively inconsistent with the exception of PLRV-infected potato plants, which had upward curled leaves. The expression of infection by PVA, PVS, PVX, and PVY varied; some infected potato plants were symptomless while others had reddening of leaves that sometimes included a mild mosaic. This is the first report to identify viruses in commercially-grown potato plants in Alabama.