VIEW ARTICLE

Particle-Length Variability of the Pea Seedborne Mosaic Virus. R. O. Hampton, Research Plant Pathologist, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331; J. E. Knesek(2), and G. I. Mink(3). (2)Research Virologist, M. D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute, University of Texas, Houston 77025; (3)Plant Pathologist, Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center, Washington State University, Prosser 99350. Phytopathology 64:1358-1363. Accepted for publication 24 May 1974. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-64-1358.

Particle lengths of pea seedborne mosaic virus (PSbMV) were significantly shorter in leaf-dip and in partially purified preparations fixed with formalin, than those derived from either preparation when fixed with glutaraldehyde. Inherent structural properties, possibly unique to our strains of this virus, and unfavorable preparatory procedures caused particle breakage and anomalous particle-length modes. Preparations obtained by a sequence of differential, rate-zonal density-gradient-, and sucrose-polyethylene glycol ultracentrifugation were highly infectious and showed virus particle-length modes of 750 nm to 770 nm when fixed with glutaraldehyde.