Sweet potato feathery mottle virus in the casual agent sweetpotato virus disease in Italy.

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) plants with virus-like symptoms were observed in many fields in Latina province (Lazio, Central Italy) during early spring, 2005. The percentage of diseased plants ranged from 30 to 60%, depending on the inspected field. Initial symptoms consisted of vein clearing and leaf chlorotic spots , followed by general leaf yellowing, leaf area reduction, plant stunting, with a significant reduction of tuber size.