The reactions of swede (Brassica napus) to infection by turnip mosaic virus

Abstract

SUMMARY Turnip mosiac virus (TuMV) and cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) were the only viruses commonly isolated from naturally diseased swedes (Brassica napus) showing leaf mosaic and leaf and root necrosis. Only TuMV caused these symptoms when re‐inoculated to swede. TuMV‐infected plants showed a severe loss in leaf (55%) and root (63%) fresh weight after 140 days. Systemic leaf symptoms in infected swede plants varied greatly, but were predominantly necrotic (N) or mosaic (M). Plants were classified into one of seven reaction classes ranging from slight or severe necrosis, and mosaics with and without slight veinal necrosis. Swede cultivars differed markedly in their reaction to TuMV and contained different proportions of N‐ or M‐reacting plants. The reactions of progeny of four resistant cv. Bangholm plants were separately inherited; progeny of two plants reacting either symptomlessly or necrotically and those of the other two plants developing mosaic symptoms only. Five isolates of TuMV from swede crops in different regions caused similar reactions but differed in virulence in the progeny of a self‐pollinated resistant swede plant.