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Rate of Spread and Effect of Tomato Ringspot Virus on Red Raspberry in the Field. R. H. Converse, Plant Pathologist, Plant Science Research Division, ARS, USDA, and Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331; R. Stace-Smith, Plant Pathologist, Canada Agriculture Research Station, Vancouver, British Columbia. Phytopathology 61:1104-1106. Accepted for publication 14 April 1971. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-61-1104.

Tomato ringspot virus moved from plant to plant along rows in two red raspberry fields in Washington State at an annual rate of ca. 2 m. All but 2.9% of new infections in 1970 occurred in plants adjoining infected plants. A low percentage of cucumber seedlings became infected when grown in soil from an infected red raspberry field containing Xiphinema americanum. A Stellaria media plant growing near infected red raspberries in the field was infected with tomato ringspot virus, but was symptomless. In a Puyallup red raspberry field, healthy plants yielded more than twice the weight of fruit per plant than infected plants. Infected fruits weighted 21% less individually than normal fruits, had only two-thirds as many drupelets per fruit, and were crumbly.