Abstract

In laboratory experiments, individual nematodes from three different populations of Xiphinema americanum sensu stricto, and one population each of X. bricolensis, X. californicum and X. rivesi were tested for their ability to transmit cherry rasp leaf (CRLV), tobacco ringspot (TobRSV), and two serologically distinguishable strains of tomato ringspot (TomRSV), peach stem pitting (PSP) and prune brown line (PBL) nepoviruses. Individual nematodes in all six populations transmitted virus. Nematodes in populations of X. californicum and X. rivesi transmitted all four viruses, those of X. bricolensis transmitted only the two strains of TomRSV, and those in each of the three populations of X. americanum transmitted TobRSV but not TomRSV-PBL. Individuals of X. americanum from populations from Arkansas and California also transmitted TomRSV-PSP and those from Pennsylvania transmitted CRLV. The results of these transmission studies contrasts with the very narrow specificity of transmission that exists between indigenous European nepoviruses and their vector species from the genera Longidorus and Xiphinema.