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Disease Detection and Losses

Effects of Tobacco- and Tomato Ringspot Viruses on the Reproductive Tissues of Pelargonium × hortorum. B. A. Scarborough, Graduate Student, Department of Plant Pathology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, Present address of senior author: Star Roses, The Conard Pyle Co., West Grove, PA 19390; S. H. Smith, Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802. Phytopathology 67:292-297. Accepted for publication 23 September 1976. Copyright © 1977 The American Phytopathological Society, 3340 Pilot Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121. All rights reserved.. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-67-292.

Virus infection reduced the number of florets and increased the number of aborted buds per inflorescence. Florets of geraniums infected with tomato ringspot virus contained more aborted anthers and a greater percentage of nonviable pollen grains than did florets of healthy and of tobacco ringspot virus-infected plants. Plants infected with tomato ringspot virus when self-pollinated, produced fewer fruit per pollination, seed per pollination, and viable seed than did healthy self-pollinated plants. Though both tobacco and tomato ringspot viruses were transmitted to the seed through the maternal tissue, only tomato ringspot virus was transmitted by the pollen.