VIEW ARTICLE

Physical and Serological Properties of Maize Dwarf Mosaic and Sugarcane Mosaic Viruses. M. Tosic, Visiting Postdoctoral Research Associate, (Assistant Professor on leave from the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Yugoslavia); R. E. Ford, Professor, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Iowa State University, Ames 50010; Current address: Plant Pathology Department, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana 61801. Phytopathology 64:312-317. Accepted for publication 9 August 1973. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-64-312.

The physical properties [thermal inactivation point (TIP), longevity in vitro (LIV), and dilution end point (DEP)] of all known strains of maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV) and sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) were compared under a uniform set of experimental conditions. TIP was very uniform (56-58 C) for all viruses. DEP and LIV were variable. None of these properties is different or uniform enough to be diagnostic. The A-strain of both MDMV and SCMV retains infectivity longest at pH 8.0. All strains were most infective between pH 7 to 9. Sedimentation coefficients were 170 ± 5 S for MDMV-A and -B, and 176 ± 5 S for SCMV-D. In buoyant density determinations p = 1.3421 for MDMV-A, 1.3427 for MDMV-B, and 1.3327 for SCMV-D. Serological tests show MDMV-A distinct from MDMV-B. MDMV-B is more closely related to the SCMV strains than to MDMV-A.