TRANSMISSION OF CHERRY VIRUSES BY APPROACH GRAFTING FROM HERBACEOUS TO WOODY HOSTS

Cherry rasp leaf virus (CRLV) and cherry mottle leaf virus (CMLV) caus ed systemic symptoms on Chenopodium amaranticolor. This herbaceous hos t was used to successfully transmit CMLV and CRLV to woody hosts by me ans of approach grafting. Transmission of viruses was established usin g three criteria: 1) development of readily observable symptoms charac teristic of CMLV and CRLV in leaves of sweet cherry (Prunus avium cv. Bing); 2) sap transmission by mechanical inoculation from the recipien t cherry trees and the original source producing identical leaf sympto ms on herbaceous indicator hosts; 3) confirmation bf the occurrence of CMLV in recipient trees by a serological assay and by electron micros copy.