@article{jiang_perkins-veazie_blankenship_boyette_pesic-vanesbroeck_jennings_schultheis_2015, title={Occurrence, severity and initiation of internal necrosis in 'Covington' sweetpotato}, volume={25}, number={3}, journal={HortTechnology}, author={Jiang, C. and Perkins-Veazie, P. and Blankenship, S. M. and Boyette, M. D. and Pesic-VanEsbroeck, Z. and Jennings, K. M. and Schultheis, J. R.}, year={2015}, pages={340–348} }
 @article{almeyda_abad_pesic-vanesbroeck_2013, title={First Report of Sweet potato virus G and Sweet potato virus 2 Infecting Sweetpotato in North Carolina.}, volume={97}, ISSN={["1943-7692"]}, DOI={10.1094/pdis-04-13-0359-pdn}, abstractNote={ Sweet potato virus G (SPVG) and Sweet potato virus 2 (SPV2) are two members of the genus Potyvirus, distinct from Sweet potato feathery mottle virus (SPFMV) (1,2,4). The significance of SPVG and SPV2 to sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas Lam.) is that each virus can synergistically interact with Sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus (SPCSV) inducing sweet potato virus disease (SPVD) (1,2,4). During the summer of 2012, susceptible indicator plants (I. setosa) were evenly distributed in sweetpotato experimental plots at two research stations (Clinton and Kinston) in North Carolina (NC). Naturally infected indicator plants (n = 129) showing virus-like symptoms including vein clearing, chlorotic mosaic, and chlorotic spots were collected and tested for the presence of viruses. Sap extract from plants tested positive for SPVG and SPV2 by nitrocellulose immune-dot blot, using SPVG antiserum obtained from the International Potato Center (Lima, Peru) and SPV2 antiserum kindly provided by C. A. Clark, Louisiana State University. Total RNA was extracted from 200 mg of symptomatic leaf tissue by using the QIAGEN RNeasy Plant Mini Kit (Hilden, Germany) adding 2% PVP-40 and 1% 2-mercaptoethanol to the extraction buffer. Multiplex RT-PCR was carried out using the SuperScript III One-Step RT-PCR System (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA) with specific primers designed for simultaneous detection and differentiation of four closely related sweetpotato potyviruses (3). Amplicons were cloned using the pGEM-T Easy cloning kit (Promega, Madison, WI) and sequenced. Quantitative RT-PCR was used for SPCSV detection. Results confirmed the presence of SPVG and SPV2 in single infections on 7% and 0.8% of samples, respectively; and in mixed infections on 54% and 3% of samples, respectively. SPVG was found as the most prevalent in all viral combinations where 14% of samples were infected with SPVG and SPFMV; and 15% of samples were infected with SPVG, SPFMV, and Sweet potato virus C (SPVC). SPV2 was detected in less common combinations (0.8%) associated with SPVG and SPFMV. The mixed infection SPVG and SPCSV as well as the combination SPV2 and SPCSV was detected in 0.8% of samples. Sequence analyses of the samples at nucleotide level (GenBank Accession Nos. KC962218 and KC962219, respectively) showed 99% similarity to SPVG isolates from Louisiana (4) and SPV2 isolates from South Africa (1). Scions from infected indicator plants were wedge grafted onto healthy sweetpotatoes (cvs. Beauregard and Covington). Eight weeks after grafting, chlorotic mosaic was observed on plants with mixed potyvirus infections whereas plants with single potyvirus infection showed no obvious symptoms. RT-PCR testing and sequencing of amplicons corroborate the presence of both viruses initially detected in indicator plants. Additionally, naturally infected sweetpotato samples (n = 102) were collected in the same experimental plots. SPVG and SPV2 were detected and identified following the described methodology. In the United States, SPVG has been shown to be prevalent in Louisiana (4) and the results presented here indicate that SPVG is spreading in NC. Our results confirm the presence of SPVG and SPV2 in NC. To our knowledge, this is the first report of SPVG and SPV2 in sweetpotato fields in NC. }, number={11}, journal={PLANT DISEASE}, author={Almeyda, C. V. and Abad, J. A. and Pesic-VanEsbroeck, Z.}, year={2013}, month={Nov}, pages={1516–1516} }
 @article{ling_jackson_harrison_simmons_pesic-vanesbroeck_2010, title={Field evaluation of yield effects on the USA heirloom sweetpotato cultivars infected by Sweet potato leaf curl virus}, volume={29}, number={7}, journal={Crop Protection}, author={Ling, K. S. and Jackson, D. M. and Harrison, H. and Simmons, A. M. and Pesic-VanEsbroeck, Z.}, year={2010}, pages={757–765} }
 @article{bryan_pesic-vanesbroeck_schultheis_pecota_swallow_yencho_2003, title={Cultivar decline in sweetpotato: I. Impact of micropropagation on yield, storage root quality, and virus incidence in 'Beauregard'}, volume={128}, number={6}, journal={Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science}, author={Bryan, A. D. and Pesic-Vanesbroeck, Z. and Schultheis, J. R. and Pecota, K. V. and Swallow, W. H. and Yencho, G. C.}, year={2003}, pages={846–855} }
 @article{bryan_schultheis_pesic-vanesbroeck_yencho_2003, title={Cultivar decline in sweetpotato: II. Impact of virus infection on yield and storage root quality in 'Beauregard' and 'Hernandez'}, volume={128}, number={6}, journal={Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science}, author={Bryan, A. D. and Schultheis, J. R. and Pesic-Vanesbroeck, Z. and Yencho, G. C.}, year={2003}, pages={856–863} }
 @article{guner_strange_wehner_pesic-vanesbroeck_2002, title={Methods for screening watermelon for resistance to papaya ringspot virus type-W}, volume={94}, ISSN={["1879-1018"]}, DOI={10.1016/S0304-4238(02)00007-9}, abstractNote={Papaya ringspot virus-watermelon strain (PRSV-W) affects all agriculturally important species of the Cucurbitaceae, and is of economic interest because of its destructiveness. The objective of this study was to develop a consistent and reliable method to screen watermelon for resistance to PRSV-W. PRSV-W isolates 1637, 1870, 2030, 2038, 2040, 2052, 2169, 2201, 2207, and W-1A were maintained in ‘Gray Zucchini’ squash, and were used in the inoculations. Three experiments were run, a preliminary experiment to determine the important factors involved in disease development, a main experiment to quantify the effects of those factors, and a retest of three cultigens to determine test variability. The experiment was a split-plot treatment arrangement in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Whole plots were growth stage (cotyledon, first true leaf), subplots were pot size (55 or 100 mm), and sub-subplots were the 10 isolates. Plants were rated on a scale of 0–9 for each of three traits: leaf necrosis, mosaic symptoms, and leaf deformation. We found the best method for a screening of the watermelon germplasm collection for resistance to PRSV-W is to grow the seedlings in square, 100 mm diameter pots (or 55 mm diameter pots if uniform germination is expected) and inoculate plants at the first true leaf stage using PRSV-W isolate 2052 and the rub method. Significant differences were obtained (with LSD values of 0.6–1.5) using four replications of five plants per plot, but fewer replicates and plants may be adequate for a large germplasm screening experiment. The method can be used by researchers interested in screening for PRSV-W resistance in watermelon, verifying that resistance, studying its inheritance, and transferring it to elite cultivars.}, number={3-4}, journal={SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE}, author={Guner, N and Strange, EB and Wehner, TC and Pesic-VanEsbroeck, Z}, year={2002}, month={Jun}, pages={297–307} }
 @article{strange_guner_pesic-vanesbroeck_wehner_2002, title={Screening the watermelon germplasm collection for resistance to papaya ringspot virus type-W}, volume={42}, ISSN={["0011-183X"]}, DOI={10.2135/cropsci2002.1324}, abstractNote={Papaya ringspot virus watermelon strain (PRSV-W), formerly watermelon mosaic virus-1, is a major disease of watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai]. The objectives of this study were (i) to screen the USDA watermelon germplasm collection for PRSV-W resistance, (ii) to verify the disease rating for the most resistant and most susceptible accessions, (iii) to determine the number of escapes on the basis of the retest of the germplasm screening test. The experiment was a randomized complete block with five replications and 1275 accessions. 'Charleston Gray' susceptible checks were used to verify that the PRSV-W inoculum was virulent. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed after the last rating to determine whether the virus was in the plant tissue. The PI accessions with the highest resistance to PRSV-W that also had resistance to other watermelon viruses (ZYMV, zucchini yellow mosaic virus or WMV, watermelon mosaic virus, formerly watermelon mosaic virus-2) were PI 244018, PI 244019, PI 255137, and PI 482299. The first retest of the most resistant 21 PI accessions showed that there were some escapes that were not resistant to PRSV-W. Of the 21 PI accessions in the retest, seven PI accessions were identified for further testing. Of the 60 resistant PI accessions in the final retest, eight had resistance with a rating of 3.6 or less for the best, average, and maximum ratings: PI 244017 (best over all tests), PI 244019, PI 482342, PI 482318, PI 485583, PI 482379, PI 595203, and PI 244018.}, number={4}, journal={CROP SCIENCE}, author={Strange, EB and Guner, N and Pesic-VanEsbroeck, Z and Wehner, TC}, year={2002}, pages={1324–1330} }