Mechanical transmission of Potato leafroll virus

Like typical luteoviruses, Patato leafroll virus (PLRV) cannot be transmitt ed mechanically by rubbing plants with solutions containing virus particles . However, PLRV was found to be mechanically transmissible from extracts of plants that had been inoculated by viruliferous aphids and then post-inocu lated with Pea enation mosaic virus-2 (PEMV-2), Unlike the asymptomatic inf ections induced by either virus alone, double infections in Nicotiana benth amiana induced necrotic symptoms with some line patterning and vein yellowi ng. Infective PLRV was recovered from a purified virus preparation by inocu lating plants mechanically with purified virus particles mixed with PEMV-2. Similarly, Beef mild yellowing virus was readily transmitted mechanically from mixtures containing PEMV-2, PLRV was also transmissible from mixtures made with extracts of plants infected with Groundnut rosette virus, althoug h less efficiently than from mixtures containing PEMV-2, This novel means o f transmitting PLRV, and perhaps other poleroviruses, should prove very use ful in a number of fields of luteovirus research.