The objective was to evaluate the potential of some common plants in and around citrus orchards to host the leprosies virus, transmitted by the mite Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes).It was used the following plants: Hibiscus sp. L., Malvaviscus mollis DC., Grevillea robusta A. Cunn., Mimosa caesalpiniaefolia Benth., Bixa orellana L., Commelina benghalensis L., Bidens pilosa L., Sida cordifolia L. and Ageratum conyzoides L.. Two stock colonies of the mite were set up; one on fruits with leprosies symptoms and other on fruits without symptoms. Two leaves were selected from each host plant, on which mites reared on fruits with leprosies lesions, and were confined during seven days. Subsequently, the mites were transferred to citrus seedlings variety Natal and Valencia and taken to a greenhouse. The leaves infested with mites were removed and placed on cotton and filter paper in Petri dishes. Mites reared on fruit without leprosies lesions were allowed to feed on the host plant leaves during three days, and were then transferred to citrus seedlings, which were taken to the greenhouse. After 60 days, the number of lesions on the citrus seedlings was counted. The mites continued to transmit the virus to citrus seedlings, even after seven days of feeding on the host plants. Mites reared on fruit without leprosies lesions, acquired the virus and transmitted it to citrus seedlings when kept on C. benghalensis, A. conyzoides, B. pilosa, S. cordifolia or B. orellana leaves on where mites from leprosies lesions had been previously reared. It was conclude that these plants can be depositories and sources for transmission of leprosies virus to susceptible citrus plants.
mite; host plants; transmission; Citrus sinensis
