First report of Cucumber mosaic virus infecting Solanum jasminoides in Italy

Solanum jasminoides Paxton (potato vine or jasmine nightshade) is a vegetatively propagated ornamental species within the Solanaceae family. Recently, symptomless plants of this species were reported as natural hosts of the quarantine pest, Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) in Italy (1). In January 2008, approximately 1,000 potted, 2-year-old plants of S. jasminoides growing in an ornamental nursery in Sicily showed virus-like mosaic and malformation of leaves. Symptoms were observed on approximately 60% of the plants. Leaf tissue, collected from 30 symptomatic and 10 symptomless plants, was analyzed by double-antibody sandwich-ELISA with polyclonal antisera specific to Cucumber mosaic v…