Life Cycle-Based Host Range Analysis for Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus in Korea

Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) is one of the plant viruses transmitted by thrips and causes severe economic damage to various crops. From 2008 to 2011, to identify natural host species of TSWV in South Korea, weeds and crops were collected from 5 regions (Seosan, Yesan, Yeonggwang, Naju, and Suncheon) where TSWV occurred and were identified as 1,104 samples that belong to 144 species from 40 families. According to reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, TSWV was detected from 73 samples from 23 crop species, 5 of which belonged to family Solanaceae. Additionally, 42 weed species were confirmed as natural hosts of TSWV with three different life cycles, indicating that these weed species could play an important role as virus reservoirs during no cultivation periods of crops. This study provides up-to-date comprehensive information for TSWV natural hosts in South Korea.