Alternative hosts for potato mop-top virus, genus Pomovirus and its vectorSpongospora subterranea f.sp. subterranea

Summary Seventeen weed species common in the potato fields in Denmark were grown in a hydroponic system infested with viruliferous zoospores ofSpongospora subterranea f.sp.subterranea carrying potato mop-top virus (PMTV). The plants were examined for infection with PMTV andS.s.s. using DAS-ELISA and based on visible symptoms. Only two weed species were found to be infected with PMTV,Chenopodium album andSolanum nigrum, whereas 13 became infected withS.s.s. C. album was infected with PMTV by mechanical inoculation were the infection became systemically and the leaves showed necrotic spots.S. nigrum became local infected with PMTV by mechanical inoculation. By inoculation with viruliferousS.s.s. the roots ofS. nigrum became infected but in three weeks PMTV had not spread into the top of the plants.Nicotiana benthamiana was used as a control susceptible toS.s.s. and PMTV.