Potato virus Y

(PVY)

• Causal agent and transmission

Potato virus Y (PVY, type-member of the genus Potyvirus) is one of the most economically serious plant viruses. It is currently recognised as the most damaging potato virus in the world for seed and processed potatoes. PVY is transmitted by at least 70 aphid species in a non-persistent manner. Acquisition and inoculation periods are short (around one minute) and retention of the virus in the aphid vector usually lasts no more than 1 to 2 hours. PVY can infect a very wide range of cultivated and weed plant species, belonging mainly to the family Solanaceae (tomato, tobacco, pepper, etc.).

The sources of PVY inoculum resulting in the infection of potato crops are usually infected seed tubers or volunteers within the field but virus reservoirs may also be present in neighbouring fields, gardens or the adjacent environment, either on infected potatoes or on other host plants (tomato, tobacco, weeds such as nightshades).

• Significance

PVY can cause yield reduction up to 50%, and even 80% on susceptible cultivars or in the case of co-infection with other viruses.