PEA EARLY-BROWNING TOBRAVIRUS

A disease of pea caused by pea early-browning virus was first describe d in the Netherlands, and shortly afterwards was reported from England . The virus has since been reported from several other European countr ies, and also from North Africa. It can systemically infect crop legum e species and the disease is locally important in pea in the Netherlan ds and England. The virus, a member of the Tobravirus genus, is transm itted through sandy or light-textured soils by species of trichodorid nematodes, and also through seed of pea and faba bean. Seed transmissi on is the most probable means of virus spread, especially over long di stances, to previously uninfested soils. Aspects of the disease includ ing symptoms, soil and seed transmission, detection, resistance and co ntrol, and characteristics of the pathogen, are reviewed.