Transmission of PEPMV by tomato seeds.

摘要

Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV), like other viruses belonging to the Potexvirus genus, is transmitted mechanically by contaminated tools, shoes and clothes, and so far, no specific vectors have been described. Studies were conducted to establish if the virus can be transmitted by seeds. A total of 15 000 tomato seeds were tested by ELISA (5000 on Petri dishes and 10 000 in greenhouse conditions). The results obtained in the laboratory indicated that most of the samples were infected by PepMV. The seedlings from the greenhouse were tested for the presence of PepMV by ELISA as well as IC-RT real-time PCR due to the high sensitivity of real time PCR methods. The results showed that only 0.05% of seedlings were infected by PepMV. The differences observed in both tests (laboratory and greenhouse) indicated that, by using serological test, it was not possible to distinguish between infective and non-infective forms of the virus. PepMV was transmitted by seeds in a very low level. However, it is important in virus epidemiology.