APS Abstract of Presentation

Identification of a previously undescribed flexivirus causing island chlorosis of hackberry in Minnesota
B. E. LOCKHART (1)
(1) University of Minnesota
Phytopathology 98:S94

A virus with flexuous filamentous particles 760-800 nm in length was isolated from hackberry in Minnesota (Celtis occidentalis) showing symptoms of angular yellow leafspots similar to those described elsewhere for the disease known as island chlorosis of hackberry. The virus was transmitted readily by mechanical inoculation from infected plants to healthy hackberry seedlings which developed typical disease symptoms. A 1.7 kb fragment of the 3´ end of the viral genome was cloned and sequenced. The most significant amino acid sequence identity detected (34%) was to the polyprotein of Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3.