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Etiology

Effects of Benomyl and Ribavirin on the Lettuce Big Vein Agent and its Transmission. R. N. Campbell, Plant pathologist, Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis 95616; Phytopathology 70:1190-1192. Accepted for publication 3 June 1980. Copyright 1980 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-70-1190.

Treatment of lettuce plants with benomyl up to 72 hr after inoculation with lettuce big vein agent (BVA)-transmitting Olpidium brassicae killed the fungal vector and reduced the frequency of BVA transmission. Benomyl applied to inoculated plants during the symptom expression period had no demonstrable effect on the BVA or symptom expression. Ribavirin applied to inoculated plants during the symptom expression period reduced the severity of symptom expression and the titer of BVA in the O. brassicae population in the roots. The BVA was not eradicated from the tops of the plants by ribavirin. The sensitivity of the BVA to ribavirin is evidence of a viral nature of the BVA.