Local Epidemic of NL-8 Strain of Bean Common Mosaic Virus in Bean Fields of Western New York. R. Provvidenti, Department of Plant Pathology, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Cornell University, Geneva 14456. M. J. Silbernagel, Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center, and W.-Y. Wang, Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University, Prosser 99350. Plant Dis. 68:1092-1094. Accepted for publication 2 July 1984. Copyright 1984 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-68-1092.

A viral disease that severely affected bean fields of the cultivar Sanilac in two areas of western New York in 1982 was caused by the NL-8 strain of bean common mosaic virus (BCMV). This strain was identified using differential bean cultivars and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with antisera to specific strains of BCMV. It was demonstrated experimentally that NL-8 is seed-transmitted in Sanilac, but attempts to detect its presence in the seed lot used for field plantings were unsuccessful. Because NL-8 is one of the temperature-independent, necrosis-inducing strains of BCMV and is able to overcome resistance in some cultivars with the I gene, the necessity to reassess the present approach to breeding for resistance is discussed.