VIEW ARTICLE

Host Range and Some Properties of Desmodium Yellow Mottle Virus. H. J. Walters, Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville 72701; H. A. Scott, Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville 72701. Phytopathology 62:125-128. Accepted for publication 10 August 1971. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-62-125.

A virus causing yellow mottling and occurring naturally in Desmodium spp. infects many leguminous hosts by mechanical inoculation, with no infection occurring in inoculated plants in families other than Leguminoseae. Great Northern bean plants became systemically infected with dilutions up to 10^-7, but not 10^-8. The virus was infectious when heated 10 min at 70 C, but not at 75 C. Virus stored at 20 C was infectious for 38 days, but not after 44 days. No transmission of the virus was obtained with three species of beetles and the green peach aphid. Electron micrographs of purified virus preparations revealed “full” and “empty” spherical particles ca. 30 nm in diam. Gel-diffusion tests resulted in spur formation when the virus was reacted against antiserum of turnip yellow mosaic virus. The virus has been named “Desmodium yellow mottle virus”.