DETECTION OF TOMATO SPOTTED WILT VIRUS IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA

Since 1990 the import of ornamental plants to Czechoslovakia highly increased. This was related with danger of introducing new pests and diseases including tomato spotted wilt virus - TSWV. The main vector of this virus Frankliniella occidentalis was present in the country since 1989.

In 1992 plants with symptoms resembling TSWV infection were observed in 3 glasshouses. Those were chrysanthemums cv. Snowdon with symptoms of necrosis on lower leaves, Begonia tuberhybrida with leaf necrosis, Zantedeschia aethiopica with ring pattern on leaves and Galinsoga parviflora with leaf chlorosis and deformation. In 2 glasshouses we found also tomato and pepper plants with typical symptoms of TSWV infection on leaves and fruits.

For the identification of the disease commercially available phytodiagnostic ELISA-kits to TSWV (strains CNPH, A5, H7) from Loewe Biochemica, Germany were used.

Samples of all plant species mentioned above gave positive reactions in direct ELISA with antiserum to TSWV-CNPH strain. TSWV - A5 strain and TSWV - H 7 strain were not detected in these plant species.