Virus diseases of burley tobacco in Tennessee

Burley tobacco plants were indexed for viruses from July through September, 1980. Leaves were collected from 10 diseased plants in each of 34 counties in Tennessee. Viruses were identified serologically by agarose gel double diffusion tests with antisera prepared to alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV), tobacco etch virus (TEV), tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), tobacco ringspot virus (TRSV), tobacco vein mottling virus (TVMV), and potato virus Y (PVY). The most prevalent viruses detected were TVMV, TEV, and TRSV, found in 24, 23, and 19 counties, respectively. Potato virus Y was identified in six counties and AMV and TMV in one county each. Double infections of TRSV with TVMV, TRSV with TEV, and TVMV with TEV were detected in 6, 3, and 4 counties respectively. TVMV pro-duced spurred precipitin lines against TVMV antiserum with isolates TN 91 and TN 79, obtained in the survey. The TN isolates also. reacted homologously to PVY antiserum. In yield and quality studies of field-grown Ky 17 inoculated with TVMV isolates TN 91, TN 309, and SC 148, infected plants did not differ significantly from each other or from noninoculated checks. A significant difference occurred between SC 148 and TN 309, and noninoculated checks in rating of symptom severity.