Symptoms incited by Impatiens necrotic spot virus on pepper leaves. Naturally infected leaves show large water soaked necrotic areas. With time, these leaves show veinal necrosis and mild chlorosis. The infected leaves eventually drop from the infected plants.

Rayapati A. Naidu
Irrigated Agriculture Research & Extension center, 24106 N. Bunn Road, Prosser, WA 99350
Email: naidu@wsu.edu

Impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV) was thought to be restricted to greenhouse ornamental plants. In recent years, however, INSV has been reported in field crops like peanut, tobacco, and potato. Recently, INSV was observed in peppers in greenhouse settings. Early infection with INSV leads to severe stunting of pepper plants and necrosis of stem and petioles. Fruits from infected plants show uneven ripening and concentric rings, thereby affecting the quality of the fruit. Since INSV is vectored by two different species of thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis and F. fusca), both vectors could be contributing to the expansion of INSV to plant species other than floriculture and nursery crops. Although the occurrence of INSV on pepper under greenhouse conditions was reported recently, its importance in pepper under field conditions is yet to be determined. Nevertheless, the expanding host range of INSV could make it an economically important problem in agricultural and horticultural crops in the United States.