Localization of Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (Genus Tospovirus, Family Bunyaviridae) in Peanut Pods

Abstract The localization of tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV, genus Tospovirus, family Bunyaviridae) in peanut pods was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using TSWV specific antibodies. Pods were collected from symptomatic and asymptomatic fieldgrown plants. All the plants were tested by ELISA for presence or absence of TSWV infection. Normal and abnormal looking pods from symptomatic plants were assayed by ELISA. Each pod was divided into shell, testa, and cotyledons. All of the shell and testa samples of both normal and abnormal pods from symptomatic plants were positive for TSWV, whereas TSWV could not be detected in the cotyledons. Similar results were observed by polymerase chain reaction, except that the cotyledons occasionally had a TSWV-specific sequence. No virus could be detected in any part of the pod collected from asymptomatic, virus-free plants. In growout tests of seed from both symptomatic and asymptomatic plants, none of the plants showed TSWV infection when assayed by ELISA. Results demonstrated the preferential accumulation of the virus in the shell and testa.