Impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV) was found for the first time in the Czech Republic in 1999 in Columnea sp. and Curcuma sp. plants that were imported. They were grown in a garden among other ornamental crops. By June 2000, INSV was detected in 17 ornamental plant species in several gardening establishments never having received imported plants. Frankliniella occidentalis thrips were present at the sites of INSV infection. Natural INSV infection was found also in Stellaria media, which is an important weed species in our conditions. INSV was identified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using polyclonal antibodies to INSV from Loewe Biochemica, Germany, and from Bioreba, Switzerland. The virus was transmitted in sap to Nicotiana benthamiana and Datura stramonium (1). Virus particles typical of a tospovirus were detected by electron microscopy. INSV is the second tospovirus member occurring in the Czech Republic. Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) has occurred in this country since 1992 (2) and to date has been detected in more than 100 plant species including ornamentals, vegetables, and weeds. TSWV became a serious problem in glasshouse grown crops. From the epidemiological point of view the situation of INSV dissemination seems to be similar to that of TSWV.
References: (1) M. Daughtrey et al. Plant Dis. 81:1220, 1997. (2) J. Mertelik and V. Mokra. Acta Virol. 42:348, 1998.
