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Emergence of Groundnut ringspot virus and Tomato chlorotic spot virus in Vegetables in Florida and the Southeastern United States

First, seventh, eighth, and twelfth authors: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory, Fort Pierce, FL 34945; second and fifth authors: Glades Crop Care, Inc., Jupiter, FL 33458; third author: Oregon State University, Department of Crop and Soil Science, Ontario, OR 97914; fourth author: University of Florida, Department of Entomology and Nematology, North Florida Research and Education Center, Quincy, FL 32351; sixth author: University of Florida/IFAS, Hendry County Extension, LaBelle, FL 33935; ninth author: Plant Pathology Research Group, Plant Protection Research and Development Office, Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Chatuchuk, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand; and tenth and eleventh authors: Cornell University, Department of Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology, Long Island Horticultural Research and Extension Center, Riverhead, NY 11901.

Groundnut ringspot virus (GRSV) and Tomato chlorotic spot virus (TCSV) are two emerging tospoviruses in Florida. In a survey of the southeastern United States, GRSV and TCSV were frequently detected in solanaceous crops and weeds with tospovirus-like symptoms in south Florida, and occurred sympatrically with Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) in tomato and pepper in south Florida. TSWV was the only tospovirus detected in other survey locations, with the exceptions of GRSV from tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) in South Carolina and New York, both of which are first reports. Impatiens (Impatiens walleriana) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa) were the only non-solanaceous GRSV and/or TCSV hosts identified in experimental host range studies. Little genetic diversity was observed in GRSV and TCSV sequences, likely due to the recent introductions of both viruses. All GRSV isolates characterized were reassortants with the TCSV M RNA. In laboratory transmission studies, Frankliniella schultzei was a more efficient vector of GRSV than F. occidentalis. TCSV was acquired more efficiently than GRSV by F. occidentalis but upon acquisition, transmission frequencies were similar. Further spread of GRSV and TCSV in the United States is possible and detection of mixed infections highlights the opportunity for additional reassortment of tospovirus genomic RNAs.