Identification of the experimental herbaceous host range of the Apscaviroids infecting citrus species

Citrus viroid V (CVd-V), citrus dwarfing viroid (CDVd) and citrus bent leaf viroid (CBLVd) (the genus Apscaviroid, the family Pospiviroidae) have been reported to be restricted to citrus species naturally. The herbaceous host range of these viroids was identified using the viroids infectious clones. Several herbaceous plants from the Cucurbitaceae, Solanaceae, Fabaceae and Asteraceae families were found to be susceptible to CVd-V, CDVd and CBLVd. Also, the viroids could be transferred to these hosts through rubbing of monomeric DNA plasmids and through mechanical inoculation of infected sap. Keywords: citrus; viroid; host range; CVd-V; CBLVd; CDVd.