The results of this study demonstrate
that viral satellite RNAs together with a
mild strain of CMV protect pepper and
melon plants from subsequent CMV infections under greenhouse and field conditions. This protection is consistent with the
concept of symptom modulation of CMV
by its satellite RNA (7). Earlier work (14)
showed that this protection is strongly
related to the presence of the satRNA in
the plant when compared to the presence of
a mild strain conferring conventional cross
protection. Pepper plants were shown in
greenhouse experiments to be severely
diseased when CARNA 5 was absent (24);
therefore, sat-free inoculum was not used
in the field experiment.