ETIOLOGÍA DEL MOTEADO AMARILLO DEL TOMATE DE CÁSCARA (Physalis ixocarpa B.) EN MÉXICO ETIOLOGY OF HUSK TOMATO (Physalis ixocarpa B.) YELLOW MOTTLE IN MÉXICO

The disease known as husk tomato yellow mottle affectes husk tomato in commercial fields in the States of Mexico, Morelos, Puebla, Tlaxcala, and Hidalgo, in central Mexico. In this work a virus was isolated and characterized from husk tomato (Physalis ixocarpa) plants, with yellow mottle, mosaic, leaf deformation, clorosis and wilt symptoms. The causal agent of husk tomato yellow mottle was identified as an RNA virus, transmitted to wild host range by mechanical means and by the insect vector Myzus persicae. Electron microscopy analysis of extract from tissue infected plants showed three baciliform and one icosahedrical viral particle. Additional serological tests showed that the causal agent of husk tomato yellow mottle disease is a strain of alfalfa mosaic virus (Alfamovirus. AMV).