Transmission of Chrysanthemum Stem Necrosis Virus, a Recently Discovered Tospovirus, by Two Thrips Species

The biological transmission of a recently discovered tos! povirus species\ Chrysanthemum stem necrosis virus "CSNV#\ was studied[ The transmission capacity of three thrips species "Frankliniella schultzei\ Frankliniella occi! dentalis and Thrips tabaci# was tested using a leaf disc assay combined with DAS!ELISA[ This capacity was tested with adults which were given an acquisition access period of 05 h on CSNV!infected plants as new!born larvae\ up to 7 h old[ The virus was e.ciently transmitted by F[ schultzei "67[0)# and F[ occidentalis "54[0)#\ but not at all by T[ tabaci "9[9)#[ Infection was con_rmed in adult thrips^ high virus titres were found in 64[8) of F[ schultzei and 86[3) of F[ occidentalis adults[ Although T[ tabaci did not transmit CSNV in this study\ com! paratively low amounts of virus were detected in 64[9) of the tested population[ The results obtained showed that F[ occidentalis and F[ schultzei may be the major vectors of CSNV in Brazil[