WEED HOSTS OF BEET WESTERN YELLOWS VIRUS AND POTATO LEAFROLL VIRUS IN BRITISH-COLUMBIA

The vegetable production areas of British Columbia were surveyed to determine weed hosts of beet western yellows virus (BWYV) and potato leafroll virus (PLRV). More than 10,000 plant samples were tested for BWYV and PLRV; the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used. Twelve species from five families were infected with BWYV. Four species, Cardamine oligosperma, Matricaria maritima, Polygonum lapathifolium, and Raphanus raphanistrum, had not previously been identified as hosts. PLRV was found in Capsella bursa-pastoris and Solanum nigrum, but neither of these hosts is considered an important reservoir of this virus in British Columbia.