Evidence from nucleic acid hybridization tests for geminivirus infection of ornamental crotons in India

Reduced growth of plants and excessive generalised and spotty yellowing of leaves occurred in ornamental crotons that were infected with a geminivirus, which was detected by spot hybridization tests using a cloned probe derived from DNA-A of acalypha yellow mosaic geminivirus. The croton virus was transmitted by the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, to Nicotiana tabacum and Acalypha indica, in which it caused leaf curl and yellow mosaic, respectively, but it was not transmitted to five other species. Infected crotons may therefore serve as reservoirs of a geminivirus that is able to infect a crop species.