Peanut plants in Queensland infected with tomato spotted wilt virus

Abstract

A disease of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in Queensland, previously referred to as "chlorosis", was identified as being caused by the tomato spotted wilt virus. Symptoms of the disease on peanut are described. Erigeron bonariensis L., Tagetes minuta L., and Trifolium subterraneurn L. are recorded as new hosts. The disease was not seed-transmitted, although seeds developed lesions and were malformed. Infective virus was found in tissues of the integuments of immature seed. The maximum disease incidence recorded in an individual crop was 5.5%. The mean seed yield of diseased plants was 12.7 g per plant, whereas that of healthy plants was 128.2 g.