Abstract
In this paper some accounts are given on a tulip mosaic disease occurring in the central region of Japan.
Seedlings of Lilium formosanum were readily infected by mechanical inoculation of leaf sap expressed from mosaic-infected tulips (varieties, William Pitt and Feu Brilliant). Mottle or streak appeared on the newly developed leaves of lily about two weeks after inoculation. Thereafter, distortions of leaf and flower were noticed.
On the other hand, the results of inoculation to the test plants for cucumber mosaic virus, such as Nicotiana tabacum, N. glutinosa, Cucumis sativus, Phaseolus vulgaris, Vicia faba, and Pisum sativum, were negative, suggesting that the cucumber mosaic virus is not involved in the common mosaic. The causal virus may be identified as so-called tulip mosaic virus (tulip breaking virus). However, it cannot yet be determined, whether the virus is color adding or color removing virus. described by McWhorter.
The presence of the virus in petal, leaf, bulb, and new bulb from the affected tulips was confirmed by means of sap inoculation to L. formosanum seedlings which served as a test plant. However, expressed sap from a resistant variety or suspected carrier varieties, such as Spring Field (white petal), Golden Harvest (yellow petal), or Queen of the Night (dark purple petal) failed to induce infection of the test plant.