Seed transmission of Chrysanthemum stunt viroid in Chrysanthemum

The presence of Chrysanthemum stunt viroid (CSVd) in seed and pollen of diseased chrysanthemum was demonstrated. In seeds infected male parent from crosses in May, CSVd was transmitted to 6.7% of the progeny seedlings, whereas if the female parent was infected, CSVd transmission rate was between 46.9 and 75.7%. A relatively high incidence of 94.4 to 96.0% seed transmission occurred when both parents were infected. In seeds infected male parent from crosses in December, no progeny seedlings were infected with CSVd, whereas if the female parent did, CSVd transmission rate was 1.5%. When both parents were infected, 6.9% seed transmission was occurred. The seed transmission rate depended on the temperature when the crosses were made. CSVd was not detected in the non-infected female parent pollinated with infected pollen but was transmitted to the progenies. This is the first report of seed-borne transmission of CSVd in chrysanthemum.