The probable long association of beet western yellows virus with the potato leaf roll syndrome in Tasmania

Abstract

Beet western yellows virus (BWYV) was isolated from potato cultivars showing leaf roll in Tasmania. Twenty-four of 25 plants representing 11 cultivars selected from the field as showing typical leaf roll symptoms contained virus that infected Capsella bursa-pastoris. Serological tests with two isolates showed them to be closely related to several Californian BWYV isolates. Because of strict plant quarantine and certification schemes operating in Tasmania since the early 1930s, these isolates of BWYV are probably representative of leaf roll isolates that were common before world-wide certification schemes. The occurrence of BWYV in potatoes during these early periods strongly indicates a world-wide significance of BWYV in potato culture. The wide spread occurrence of BWYV associated with leaf roll in Tasmanian potatoes could have very important consequences for the potato certification scheme. These are discussed together with the use of sensitive serological tests to detect luteoviruses in potato and facilitate their control.