Abstract
Peanut leaves testing positive for tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) were collected, surfaced sterilized and placed on a support medium to promote callus growth. Initial observations detected significant differences in growth rate of the callus between healthy and diseased cultures, but after multiple subcultures, the growth differences were not as obvious. Subculturing was performed at 4-week intervals followed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). The virus was maintained in infected peanut callus culture for one year with at least 50% of individual cultures remaining infected throughout the year. The infected callus culture was used as a virus source for mechanical inoculation procedures. The virus ELISA titer was maintained at a relatively high level (optical density at 490 nm ${sim}1.0$) and was maintained at a more constant level in tissue culture than observed in intact infected peanut plants. Virus particles were observed in electron micrographs of ultra thin sections of the infected callus culture. The TSWV infected callus provided a convenient source of TSWV for serological studies. Infected tobacco plants were regenerated from infected tobacco callus. During this study, 60% of the regenerated tobacco plants were infected with TSWV, while 40% were healthy. Differences between tobacco cultivars were extremely important in regeneration of infected plants. The tobacco cultivar Havana 38 was much better suited for tissue culture than Samsun NN. The Havana cultivar regenerated 38 infected plants out of 83, whereas Samsun NN regenerated only 1 out 29. The same cultivar differences observed during the initiation of callus cells. Thrips (Frankliniella fusca and F. occidentalis) acquisition of TSWV from infected peanut and tobacco callus was not an efficient method of acquiring TSWV. However, thrips were maintained on infected and healthy peanut callus. The thrips mortality was low when fed on the callus.
Schuster, Greta Lucille (1994). Cultured peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) cells infected with tomato spotted wilt virus for virus and vector studies. Texas A&M University. Texas A&M University. Libraries. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /DISSERTATIONS -1552127.