Abstract
The foliage of individual field-infected peanut plants (Arachis hypogaea L.) was examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the presence of tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). TSWV was detected commonly in terminals (folded quadrifoliates) and flowers, the vector's feeding and breeding niches. Reconstructions of the assayed plants demonstrated that the virus concentration varied from plant to plant and symptoms were significantly correlated to virus concentration in individual leaves and terminals. The virus was not distributed uniformly throughout individual plants but was concentrated in young, developing terminal tissue. The presence of symptoms was indicative of detectable virus 95% of the time.
Author notes
1This research was conducted by the Texas Agric. Exp. Stn., the Texas A&M Univ. System. Support for this project was provided by the Texas Peanut Producers Board, the Frio County Res. Found., the Texas Agric. Exp. Stn., and USDA-CSRS grants 89–34103–4239 and 90–34103–4981.