ISOLATION OF TOMATO MOSAIC-VIRUS FROM WATERS DRAINING FOREST STANDS IN NEW-YORK-STATE

A survey for plant viruses in streams and lakes draining selected forest stands in central New York and in the Adirondack Mountains was conducted in 1989 to determine both the presence and diversity of plant viruses in forest ecosystems in New York. Viruses were concentrated from 29 20-L water samples by adsorption to Zeta Plus 50 S membrane filters, followed by elution, high speed centrifugation, resuspension of the pellets in phosphate buffer, and inoculation onto herbaceous virus indicator plants. Rod-shaped particles identified as tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) on the basis of electron microscopy, host range, symptomatology, and serological tests were transmitted from eight water concentrates to Chenopodium quinoa. Biological and serological differences, but no differences in immunoelectrophoretic properties among the isolates, were observed. ToMV was recovered from water during April through June but not from July through October. Antisera were produced to three ToMV isolates from three forest stands.