Thrips-Facilitated Transmission of Prune Dwarf and Prunus Necrotic Ringspot Viruses from Cherry Pollen to Cucumber

Abstract

When pollen from sweet and sour cherry trees infected by Prunus necrotic ringspot virus (PNRSV) and prune dwarf virus (PDV) was dusted onto cucumber seedlings and the seedlings were caged with eight to 15 Frankliniella occidentalis for 1 day, approximately 20% (68 of 332) of the seedlings subjected to the thrips plus infective pollen treatment became infected. Only one of 188 cucumber seedlings caged with cherry pollen only became infected. No infection occurred when thrips were caged without pollen. The rate of transmission varied greatly with the virus isolates used (.)