SYMPTOM MODIFICATION BY SATELLITE TOBACCO MOSAIC-VIRUS IN PEPPER TYPES AND CULTIVARS INFECTED WITH HELPER TOBAMOVIRUSES

The presence of satellite tobacco mosaic virus (STMV) in coinfection w ith eight helper viruses in 23 hosts has previously been reported to c ause no change in the symptoms induced by the helper viruses alone. Th is is not the case for systemic infection of certain types and cultiva rs of pepper, Capsicum annuum. In Jalapeno and Pimiento pepper plants, the presence of STMV in coinfections with TMV-U2 caused increased chl orosis in the form of abundant, bright-yellow patches relative to the mosaic caused by TMV-U2 alone. Increased chlorosis also was observed w hen TMV-U5 and pepper mild mottle virus (PMMV) were used as helper vir uses. In Jalapeno the presence of STMV ameliorated severe blistering ( leaf distortion) caused transiently by TMV-U2 at approximately 6 wk af ter inoculation. The concentration of TMV-U2 in Jalapeno plants was re duced by 87% in coinfection with STMV compared to infection by TMV-U2 alone.