Resolution of strawberry virus complexes by means of the aphis vector Capitophorus fragariae Theob

Abstract

Aphides ( Capitophorus fragariae ) were fed for periods of up to 24 hr. on strawberry plants infected with mild crinkle, severe crinkle or yellow‐edge and then transferred to plants of the wild strawberry, Fragaria vesca , or of the cultivated strawberry, variety Royal Sovereign. On F. vesca the symptoms produced were chlorotic speckling, distortion and dwarfing of the leaves, varying in intensity', and on Royal Sovereign scattered, inconspicuous, diffuse, chlorotic spots. The symptoms from all three sources of infection were similar and were indistinguishable from those of mild crinkle of Harris & King. The virus thus selectively transmitted is tentatively concluded to be the mild crinkle virus. The virus was transmitted after feeding periods of 1 hr. or more and did not generally persist in the vector for more than 3 hr.