New epidemics of tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) in Basilicata and Apulia

New severe outbreaks of tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) were observed in tomato and pepper crops in some horticultural areas of Southern Italy (Basilicata and Apulia). The percentage of infected plants in tomato and pepper fields varied from 10 to 50% while, it reached 80% in a tomato greenhouse located in the Metapontum area. The virus was identified on the basis of particle morphology, symptomatological reactions of some herbaceous hosts and of results obtained by immunodiffusion in agarose gel and immunosorbent electron microscopy followed by decoration, using a polyclonal antiserum to a lettuce isolate of TSWV