Transmission of arabis mosaic virus by the nematode Xiphinema diversicaudatum (Micol.)

Abstract

After dagger nematodes Xiphinema diversicaudatum (Micol.), were shown to transmit arabis mosaic virus to strawberry plants, the mode of transmission was studied using Petunia hybrida Vilm. seedlings as test plants. Approximately 30% of the nematodes reared on roots of infected strawberry plants transmitted the virus, and batches of ten nematodes caused infection in 90% of the test plants. Three days was the minimum test-feeding period in which transmission occurred, but longer periods resulted in a higher proportion of plants becoming infected. The vector retained the virus for long periods; some nematodes transmitted the virus to test plants in a second series without infecting those in the first on which presumably they fed for periods of 5, 10, and 20 days. Nematodes were still infective after fasting periods of up to 30 days in autoclaved sand. Noninfective nematodes acquired the virus in 24 hours, the minimum acquisition period tested, but a higher proportion were infective after 3 days on the source plants.