Detection of Tomato Ringspot Virus in Peach Orchards. J. G. Barrat, Professor of Plant Pathology, West Virginia University Experiment Farm, USDA-ARS, Appalachian Fruit Research Station, Kearneysville, WV 25430. R. Scorza, Research Horticulturist, and B. E. Otto, Research Technician, USDA-ARS, Appalachian Fruit Research Station, Kearneysville, WV 25430. Plant Dis. 68:198-200. Accepted for publication 29 August 1983. Copyright 1984 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-68-198.

Peach orchards in northeastern West Virginia were surveyed for tomato ringspot virus (TmRSV) in peach trees and dandelions, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In 10 orchards where peach trees with Prunus stem pitting symptoms and nearby dandelions were surveyed, TmRSV was detected in an average of 48% of the trees and 64.5% of the dandelions sampled. The low rate of detection of TmRSV in stem-pitted peach trees suggests that sampling in the trunk-root transition zone may be an inefficient methodology. Of 34 orchards in which dandelions were sampled, 80.6% were infected with TmRSV, indicating that TmRSV is widespread in peach orchards in the survey area.