Presence of Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus between cress and pepper intercropped in Kumluca district of Turkey

Tomato spotted wilt virus is thrips transmitted and causes significant diseases on solanaceous plans. In this study, samples were collected to detect and determine the incidence of Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV) in cress (Lepidium sativum) and pepper (Capsicum annum) cultivated in 27 greenhouses at Kumluca, Antalya province. More than 102 plant samples were collected from cress and pepper plants in Autumn 2023. The samples from individual samples showing virus-like ring and leaf distortion symptoms were tested using RT-PCR and qRT-PCR for the presence of TSWV. The positive tested cress and pepper samples were distinguished and incidence of TSWV in cress plants was common in the 5 greenhouses. Currently, this is first report of TSWV occurrence in cress. Consequently, there should be focus on the role thrips species in the epidemiology of the virus in Turkey because it can be concluded that the tested TSWV isolates were resistant breaking and the host plants do not have resistance indicating important epidemiological interspecies transmissibility.