Nerine Virus X

J.E. Shields jshields104@insightbb.com
Thu, 13 Dec 2007 09:40:40 PST
Ten or more years ago, the late Sir Peter Smithers claimed that there must 
be an endogenous, latent plant virus in Nerine sarniensis.  The reason for 
this was that feeding Nerine (broadleaf species and hybrids) with 
nitrogen-containing fertilizers caused them to exhibit leaf markings 
characteristic of viral infections.  This could also, as far as I can 
recall now, lead to decline and perhaps death of the "infected" plants.

In my Google Scholar search on Amaryllidaceae, the following entry popped up:
http://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ICTVdb/ICTVdB/…

This virus might not be whatever was causing the effects that Sir Peter 
described.  This one grows only sparsely in Nerine sarniensis.  It does 
much better in Agapanthus.  It must be transmitted mechanically, not being 
passed through pollen, seeds, or casual contact between leaves.  The name 
applied is Nerine Virus X but it has also been called Agapanthus Virus X.

Best wishes,
Jim Shields
in chilly central Indiana (USA)


*************************************************
Jim Shields             USDA Zone 5             Shields Gardens, Ltd.
P.O. Box 92              WWW:    http://www.shieldsgardens.com/
Westfield, Indiana 46074, USA
Tel. ++1-317-867-3344     or      toll-free 1-866-449-3344 in USA


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