Use of Thermotherapy to Free Potato Tubers of Alfalfa Mosaic, Potato Leaf Roll, and Tomato Black Ring Viruses

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV), potato leaf roll virus (PLRV) and tomato black ring virus (TBRV) were eliminated from diseased tubers of several potato (S. tuberosum) cultivars by hot-air treatment at 37.degree. C for 3-6 wk. This treatment also eradicated viruses in tubers dually infected with PLRV and TBRV. Virus could not be detected in plants grown from these tubers following repeated indexing by mechanical means and by serology (AMV and TBRV) or by aphid-transmission tests (PLRV); and tubers harvested from these plants produced normal plants that also indexed negative for virus infection. Similar hot-air treatments for up to 10 wk did not eradicate 2 strains of potato virus Y. Hot-water treatment at 50.degree. C for 25-180 min or 52.5.degree. C for 15-90 min did not free tubers of AMV, PLRV and TBRV. Survival of tubers of 8 potato cultivars in various hot-air treatment tests after 6 wk ranged 44-87%. Hot-air treatment eliminated PLRV from tubers of over 50 imported and Kenyan potato lines. Potato cultivars freed of virus infection by thermotherapy were distributed to various potato improvement programs in East Africa.