Strawberry Latent Ringspot Virus Associated with a New Disease of Olive in Central Italy. M. Marte, Institute of Plant Pathology, Perugia University, Italy. F. Gadani, Institute of Plant Pathology, Perugia University, Italy; V. Savino, Department of Plant Pathology, Bari University, Italy; and E. Rugini, Study Center for Oleiculture, National Research Council, Perugia, Italy. Plant Dis. 70:171-172. Accepted for publication 8 August 1985. Copyright 1986 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-70-171.

Strawberry latent ringspot virus (SLRV) was repeatedly isolated from flowers, leaves, and roots of olive (Olea europea L.) plants (cultivar Ascolana tenera) in central Italy. All infected plants showed symptoms of leaf narrowing and twisting, shortening of internodes, and fruit deformations. SLRV and the associated disease were both transmitted to healthy Ascolana tenera scions by grafting to naturally affected trees. Infectivity to differential hosts, serological properties, and sedimentation behavior of purified viral preparations indicate that our isolate is similar to the SLRV previously obtained from symptomless olive trees. This is the first report of a viral infection on olive associated with clear-cut symptoms.