VIEW ARTICLE

Etiology

Some Properties of an Isolate of Pea Early-Browning Virus Occurring in Morocco. B. E. L. Lockhart, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108/Laboratoire de Virologie, Institut Agronomique Hassan II, Rabat, Morocco; H. U. Fischer, Laboratoire de Virologie, Direction de la Recherche Agronomique, Station Centrale de Phytiatrie, Rabat, Morocco. Phytopathology 66:1391-1394. Accepted for publication 15 July 1976. Copyright © 1976 The American Phytopathological Society, 3340 Pilot Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121. All rights reserved.. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-66-1391.

A virus occurring naturally on pea (Pisum sativum) and broad bean (Vicia faba) in Morocco was identified as pea early-browning virus (PEBV). This is the first report of the occurrence of PEBV outside western Europe. The Moroccan PEBV isolate had particles of two predominant lengths, 90 and 190 nm, respectively. In undiluted pea sap the virus had a thermal inactivation point (TIP) of 75-80 C and a longevity in vitro (LIV) of more than 6 months at 20-24 C. The virus reacted with antisera to both PEBV and tobacco rattle virus (TRV) and was present in seeds from infected pea plants. No information on nematode transmission was obtained. The Moroccan virus differed somewhat from a British and a Dutch strain in test plant reaction.