EPIDEMIC OF CUCUMBER MOSAIC-VIRUS PLUS SATELLITE RNA IN TOMATOES IN EASTERN SPAIN

In eastern Spain, an epidemic of tomato necrosis has been progressing since 1986, with dramatic effects on tomato production. We show that the systemic necrosis syndrome is induced by a cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) that supports a satellite RNA (satRNA) of a necrogenic phenotype. In addition to necrogenic isolates of CMV satRNAs in tomato plants infected with CMV, other satRNAs were found that do not modify the symptoms induced by the helper virus, or that induce a leaf-curl, shoot-stunt syndrome, also with severe effects on the production. A subepidermal necrosis of the fruits also present at epidemic levels was induced by isolates of CMV without satRNA.