A mild strain of Papaya ringspot virus - type W (PRSV-W), named PRSV-W-1, has proved to be very effective in the control of the disease in zucchini squash plants under greenhouse and field conditions. The aim of this work was to obtain additional information on the protection mechanism between PRSV-W-1 and a severe homologous strain (PRSV-W-C) in Cucurbita pepo L. cv. Caserta. Protective inoculation with the mild strain was made on the cotyledons and the challenge inoculation with the severe strain was applied on the first true expanded leaf, and vice-versa. Plants were challenged at three, six or nine days later, respectively. Plants infected with either the mild or the severe strain alone served as controls. Evaluations were based on the recovery test... |