Identification of potato Y potyvirus (PVY°) resistance in wild and cultivated tomatoes

Abstract

Potato Y potyvirus (PVY) is an important plant pathogen worldwide that infects and causes yield losses in the family Solanaceae including potato (Solarium tuberosum), pepper (Capsicum spp.), tomato (S. lycopersicum), and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). In this study, 20 different tomato accessions representing 6 different species were mechanically inoculated with PVY°. The plants were scored visually for symptoms and then tested for presence of the virus 2-4 weeks after inoculation by ELISA. The results were variable. Most wild species of tomato sustained PVY° replication in inoculated leaves. Some of the wild species showed an immune response, while some became systemically infected. Inoculation and analysis of F2 populations suggested that the resistance is controlled by a single recessive gene in different wild species.