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Etiology

Properties and Classification of a Potexvirus Isolated from Three Plant Species in Argentina. O. Gracia, CONICET and Estacion Experimental Regional Agropecuaria, INTA, Casilla de Correo 3, 5507 - Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina; R. Koenig(2), and D. -E. Lesemann(3). (2)(3)Institut für Viruskrankheiten der Pflanzen, Biologische Bundesanstalt, Messeweg II, D 3300 Braunschweig, Federal Republic of Germany. Phytopathology 73:1488-1492. Accepted for publication 26 April 1983. Copyright 1983 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-73-1488.

A potexvirus with particles 538 nm long was isolated from Plantago major, Taraxacum officinale, and Callistephus chinensis in Argentina. The virus, provisionally named Argentine plantago virus (APlaV), has a wide host range and produces systemic symptoms in several species of the Chenopodiaceae, Compositae, Labiatae, Scrophulariaceae, and Solanaceae. The thermal inactivation point is between 90 and 95 C and the infectivity dilution end point is between 10^-8 and 10^-9. Longevity in vitro is between 32 and 64 days. The cytoplasm of infected cells contains banded inclusions consisting of virus particles arranged in parallel and hypertrophied endoplasmic reticulum. Crystal-like inclusions of unknown composition occur in the cytoplasm and in the nuclei. The coat protein of APlaV has a molecular weight of 21.6 x 10^-3 daltons. APlaV is serologically related to papaya mosaic, plantago severe mottle, and Boussingaultia mosaic viruses. The average serological differentiation indices in reciprocal tests range from 1.75 to 5.5.