During a survey for a European Union-funded project on the viruses of Alstroemeria, an A. caryophyllea plant was found expressing virus-like symptoms, including dark green vein banding, necrotic spots, and flower color breaking. In enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), no positive reaction was obtained with antisera to Alstroemeria mosaic, Alstroemeria carla, Cucumber mosaic, Freesia mosaic, or Tobacco rattle virus. A positive ELISA reaction was obtained with potyvirus-specific monoclonal antibodies (Agdia, Elkhart, IN) and antiserum to Ornithogalum mosaic virus (OrMV) (1). In electron microscopy leaf dip preparations of A. caryophyllea, potyvirus-like particles were observed. Using sapinoculation, the virus was transferred to Chenopodium amaranticolor and C. quinoa, resulting in local lesions 6 days postinoculation. The presence of OrMV in both Chenopodium spp. was confirmed by electron microscopy and ELISA with antiserum to OrMV. Sequence alignment of DNA fragments (740 bp) obtained in immunocapture-reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction on RNA isolated from the suspect virus, using a potyvirus-specific primer set (2), showed 91% homology with the corresponding region of OrMV RNA (GenBank accession no. D00615). The results confirm the infection of A. caryophyllea by OrMV. This is the first report of natural infection of Alstroemeria by OrMV.
References: (1) J. T. Burger and M. B. von Wechmar. Phytopathology 79:385, 1989. (2) R. A. A. van der Vlugt et al. Phytopathology 89:148, 1999.
