Infection of tomato and bell pepper by ToMV and TMV at different growth stages and establishment of virus in seeds

Abstract

Tomato and bell pepper were inoculated with tomato mosaic Virus (ToMV) or tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) when they were 35, 50, 90, and 110 days old. Both viruses infected both tomato and bell pepper irrespective of growth stages. The virus in the leaf was quantified by local lesion assay and that in seed was determined by local lesion assay and ELISA. The viruses became established in the seeds, irrespective of growth stage at time of inoculation. However, the concentration of virus was high in seeds when the plants were inoculated early. Bell pepper and tomato are the preferred hosts for TMV and ToMV respectively.