Properties of a Virus Causing Severe Mosaic of Cucumeropsis edulis in Nigeria. E. C. K. Igwegbe, Department of Crop Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Anambra State, Nigeria. Plant Dis. 67:315-317. Accepted for publication 22 July 1982. Copyright 1983 American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-67-315.

A virus causing leaf mosaic, blisters, puckering, malformation, and flower abortion on Cucumeropsis edulis in Nigeria induced chlorotic local lesions without systemic spread in Chenopodium amaranticolor and C. quinoa and incited systemic symptoms in cantaloup, cucumber, pumpkin, squash, and watermelon. Luffa acutangula, Nicotiana benthamiana, Pisum sativum 'Alaska,' and Phaseolus vulgaris "Bountiful" were immune to the virus. The virus had a thermal inactivation point between 45 and 50 C, longevity in vitro between 4 and 5 days, dilution end point between 10^–3 and 10^–4, and flexuous-rod morphology and was readily transmitted by the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae. The virus failed to react with antisera to muskmelon necrotic spot virus, watermelon mosaic virus-1, watermelon mosaic virus-2, or a Moroccan isolate of watermelon mosaic virus.