Solanum dulcamara L. (Bitterzoet) als mogelijke bron voor bladrolvirus

Summary Dijkstra (1933) demonstrated thatSolanum dulcamara (Bittersweet, Woody Nightshade) can be a host plant of potato leaf-roll virus. It was, however, not known whether this wild growing plant in nature contains the virus. AsS. dulcamara is the only common perennial Solanacea in the Netherlands its role as a virus reseroir was investigated.At 25 localities plants ofS. dulcamara were collected, and tested for the presence of leaf-roll virus by transferring virus-freeMyzus persicae (Sulz.) after 24 hrs feeding to groups ofPhysalis floridana, where they fed for 24 hrs before being killed. All plants ofS. dulcamara appeared to contain leafroll virus, though they did not show symptoms. Also seedlings ofS. dulcamara from seed of a leafroll infested plant showed no symptoms before or after infection with leafroll bij transmission withMyzus persicae (Sulz.).The virus could be transmitted fromS. dulcamara to potato (var. Bintje) byMyzus persicae (Sulz.) and by graftingS. dulcamara on potato.Seedlings, grown from seed obtained from a plant which was shown to have leaf-roll, all appeared to be infected with leaf-roll. As so far no plants were found or obtained which had no leaf-roll virus, it is possible that inS. dulcamara leaf-roll virus is invariably transmitted with seed. But as the virus does not appear to be pathogenic inS. dulcamara, one might assume that what in potatoes and other plants is called leaf-roll virus, inS. dulcamara is an integral, natural component of the organism.