Seed and pollen transmission of tobacco streak virus in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum cv. Grosse Lisse)

Abstract

ELISA tests showed that 40-7670 of the seeds of tomato (Lycopersicon esculenturn cv. Grosse Lisse) contained tobacco streak virus (TSV) when either the female (ovule) parent only, the male (pollen) parent only, or both parents were virus infected. When seeds with either or both parents infected were soaked in distilled water overnight and dissected, TSV was found more frequently in the endosperm (40-90%) than the embryo (10-50%), and little or no TSV was present in the seed coat. The seeds which had an infected female (ovule) parent were lighter in weight and had a lower germination rate (3-27%) than seeds which had either an infected male (pollen) parent or two healthy parents (germination rate of 88-96%). Only about 10% of seedlings which had one or both parents infected were found to be infected. TSV was not transmitted to the leaves of healthy tomato plants when flowers were pollinated with pollen from infected tomato plants.