Pepper mottle virus Causing Disease in Chile Peppers in Southern New Mexico

The primary pepper producing areas of southern New Mexico were surveyed to identify the viruses causing severe disease in chile peppers over a 2-year period. The survey included weeds commonly found in and around pepper fields. Using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Pepper mottle virus (PepMoV) was associated with plants showing mosaic and distortion of foliage and fruit deformation. PepMoV and Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) were determined based on ELISA to be infecting chile peppers and weeds singly or in combination. Four perennial plant species were infected with PepMoV and CMV, including Solanum elaeagnifolium (silverleaf nightshade), Convolvulus arvensis (field bindweed), and Chamysuraces sp. (small groundcherry), which had not previously been identified as hosts for PepMoV. Some peppers and weeds surveyed were also infected at a lower level by several other plant viruses.