Induction of Flowering through Infection by Beet Leafhopper Transmitted Virescence Agent

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Abstract
Circulifer tenellus transmitted the beet leafhopper transmitted virescence agent (BLTVA) to selected plant hosts, which included long-day plants grown under noninductive short days and cold-requiring annuals or biennials grown entirely in a warm greenhouse. Radish and dill infected with BLTVA bloomed. Infected spinach plants did not bloom, but stems grew to an average length of 2.8 cm compared to an average stem length of 1.1 cm in control plants (different at P = 0.01). A high percentage of flowering was observed in infected environmentally noninduced Chinese cabbage, celery, and carrot. Control plants of each species, fed upon by uninoculative insects, did not bloom. These plant responses may be of particular significance since a plant growth substance, gibberellic acid (GA), is known to induce flowering in the specific plants tested. Catharanthus roseus, a host species with a GA-insensitive flowering rate, did not bloom prematurely when infected with BLTVA. Applications of two inhibitors of GA biosynthesis, CCC and AMO-1618, delayed the BLTVA-induced host induction response.

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