Mite-borne virus isolates from cultivated Allium species,and their classification into two new rymoviruses in the family Potyviridae

While testing several samples of onion and of vegetatively propagated garlic, sand leek and shallot from a number of countries, virus isolates with unusually flexuous particles were obtained by mite (Aceria tulipae) or sap transmissions. No aphid-borne poty-or carlavirus was transmitted by mites, and mite-borne virus isolates could not be transmitted by aphids. The mite-borne isolates did not react with antisera to aphid-borne potyviruses ofAllium spp. or with the Agdia potyvirus group monoclonal. In contrast to the mite-borne onion and garlic mosaic viruses reported in the literature, our mite-borne isolates induced no visible or only very mild symptoms inAllium spp., except isolates from shallot ‘Santé’ which caused diffuse striping. Heavily mite-infested test plants or plant samples showed streaking and malformation due to mite feeding (tangle-top). The mite-borne virus isolates could be classified with test plants and a discriminating antiserum into three groups, representing two viruses and a strain of one of them. They are tentatively named onion mite-borne latent virus (OMbLV), garlic strain of this virus (OMbLV-G), and shallot mite-borne latent virus (SMbLV). Mite transmission, length of virus particles (ca. 700 to 800 nm), and the presence of granular inclusion bodies in infected tissue indicate that the viruses belong to the mite-borne genusRymovirus of the familyPotyviridae. OMbLV from shallot and onion, and OMbLV-G from garlic and sand leek, can be assayed onChenopodium murale but differ in their natural hosts. They are very common. SMbLV, to whichC. murale does not react, was isolated from shallot originating from Asia and Russia.     

Carlavirus isolates from cultivated Allium species represent three viruses

From 12 cultivated and mostly vegetatively propagatedAllium species and varieties tested for carlavirus infections, 94 virus isolates were obtained which varied greatly on indicator hosts.Chenopodium amaranticolor, C. quinoa, Celosia argentea var.plumosa Geisha,Nicotiana hesperis accession 67A andN. occidentalis accession P1 proved valuable for detection, isolation and propagation of part of the isolates. The latter three species are new experimental hosts for carlaviruses ofAllium species. Other isolates could only be transmitted toAllium species such as crow garlic (A. vineale) leek (A. ampeloprasum var.porrum) and onion (A. cepa var.cepa). The isolates were grouped into three viruses by differential hosts and host reactions and their reaction with four antisera.Shallot latent virus (SLV) was found in ever-ready onion (A. cepa var.perutile), grey shallot (unidentifiedAllium species), multiplier onion (A. cepa var.aggregatum), pearl onion (A. ampeloprasum var.sectivum), rakkyo (A. chinense), shallot (A. cepa var.ascalonicum), and Welsh onion (A. fistulosum). Virus isolates from garlic and Asian shallot, fully reacting with antiserum to SLV but differing in host reactions from the SLV type-isolate, are now described as garlic strain (SLV-G) and Asian shallot strain of the virus, respectively. The garlic latent virus from garlic described in Japan is now considered identical with SLV-G.A carlavirus almost universal in garlic, and also found in great-headed garlic (A. ampeloprasum var.holmense), in an unidentifiedAllium species, and occasionally in leek, did not react with the antisera to SLV and the Japanese garlic latent virus, and is now described as the new garlic common latent virus (GCLV). It appeared identical to a virus erroneously identified in Germany as garlic latent virus.The new Sint-Jan's-onion latent virus (SjoLV) from Utrechtse Sint-Jan's onion (unidentifiedAllium species) from the Netherlands and similar crops originating from other countries, did not induce reactions in test plants and could only be detected by electron microscope decoration tests. It reacted equally wellwith the antisera to SLV and GCLV. It was also present together with SLV in ever-ready onion, pearl onion, rakkyo, shallot, and Welsh onion. Garlic latent virus reported in Japan from hosts other than garlic should be regarded as SLV, SjoLV, or a mixture of these viruses.The carlaviruses were not detected in wild plants of ramsons (A. ursinum), and of the predominantly vegetatively propagated crow garlic (A. vineale), field garlic (A. oleraceum), and sand leek (A. scorodoprasum), collected in the Netherlands.Severe reactions in the indicator hosts incidentally revealed soil-borne viruses in shallot (the nepovirusesArabis mosaic virus (ArMV) and tomato black ring virus) and crow garlic (ArMV and the tobravirus tobacco rattle virus). Tobacco necrosis virus (necrovirus) was detected in roots of shallot.     

Testing garlic cloves and bulblets for onion yellow dwarf virus by ACP-ELISA

Onion yellow dwarf virus (OYDV) was detected in cloves and aerial bulblets of garlic (Allium sativum) at levels as high as or higher than in leaves of plants grown from tested cloves. It is recommended to test bulblets or a few cloves per bulb before planting to determine if all cloves of a bulb are virus-free. This aids in early detection and allows a more thorough testing of stock than field testing.     

Incidence of Viruses Infecting Allium Spp. in Greece

A survey identified viruses infecting garlic, leek and onion crops and wild Allium species in Greece. Virus identification was based on ELISA, immunoelectron microscopy, and occasionally on RT-PCR. Samples of cultivated Allium species were collected from five districts, whereas samples of twenty-seven wild Allium species were also collected from all over Greece. Onion yellow dwarf virus (OYDV) and Leek yellow stripe virus (LYSV) were identified in 98.5% and 83.7% of all samples, respectively, and were found in all regions. Allexiviruses were also detected in all regions and their incidence ranged from 62.5% to 70.5% (depending on region and type of allexivirus). Garlic common latent virus (GCLV) was detected in samples from Arcadia (97.6%) and Evia (18.0%) and in one field in Larissa (23.0%). Shallot latent virus (SLV) was found only in two areas (Evros and Theva) and in fields planted with imported propagative material, from Iran and China. The incidence of virus-like symptoms in leek crops ranged from 10.0% to 90.0% in different regions and fields and all symptomatic plants were found to be infected by LYSV. Onion yellow dwarf virus was only found in seven symptomatic onion samples from southern Greece. Allium ampeloprasum spp. ampeloprasum and Allium flavum, were the only wild Allium species found to be infected with LYSV. Finally Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) was found in A. sphaerocephalon, A. guttatum, A. subhirsutum, and A. neapolitanum.     

应用RT-PCR分子检测技术快速检测大蒜普通潜隐病毒

根据大蒜普通潜隐病毒(Garlic common latent virus,GCLV)的外壳蛋白区域的保守序列设计合成一对寡核苷酸引物,以带毒植物的总RNA为模板,进行反转录和PCR扩增,通过反应体系和反应程序的建立与优化,扩增得到长300 bp的目的片段,并将目的片段转入大肠杆菌进行了克隆和序列测定。测序结果与GenBank中其他GCLV相应区域的序列同源性最高达98%。并对其检测的特异性和灵敏度进行了验证,从而建立了快速、灵敏、特异性强的GCLV分子生物学检测方法。     

Survey and characterization of potyviruses and their strains of Allium species

Nearly 5700 plants of 14 cultivated and 8 wildAllium species and varieties from the Netherlands and other parts of the world, were tested for infection with aphid-borne potyviruses by ELISA, electron microscope decoration tests and/or inoculation onto test plants. This resulted in the detection of two known viruses, viz. leek yellow stripe virus (LYSV) and onion yellow dwarf virus (OYDV), and the discovery and characterization of two new viruses, viz. shallot yellow stripe virus (SYSV) and Welsh onion yellow stripe virus (WoYSV), and of six strains of these viruses. ‘Garlic mosaic’, ‘barlic yellow streak’, ‘onion mosaic’, ‘shallot mosaic’, ‘shallot X’, and ‘shallot yellows’ viruses, incompletely described in the literature, are now reidentified as well-known viruses or as strains or mixtures of such viruses. ‘Garlic yellow stripe virus’ is also a complex containing a potyvirus possibly differing from the viruses found in this survey. The symptoms of the potyviruses studied varied widely and ranged from mild to severe chlorotic to yellow striping of leaves, and they are of little diagnostic importance.LYSV was found in vegetatively propagated pearl onion (A. ampeloprasum var.sectivum) from Europe and Asia. It has decreased in leek crops (A. ampeloprasum var.porrum) in the Netherlands since the 1970, apparently due to resistance in new cultivars. OYDV was common in onion (A. cepa var.cepa) from the former USSR and North Africa, and in European cultivars of shallot (A. cepa var.ascalonicum), with the exception of the highly resistant ‘Santé’, but was not detected during this survey in Asian shallot. European samples of ever-ready onion (A. cepa var.perutile), multiplier onion (A. cepa var.aggregatum) and tree onion (A. cepa var.viviparum) contained OYDV. It was also found in sand leek (A. scorodoprasum) from european gene collections. A strain of OYDV from onion and shallot in Morocco and Spain was virulent on onion and shallot cultivars resistant to common OYDV, as reported early for a similar isolate in the USA.Asian shallot appeared generally infected with the new SYSV, similar to OYDV in host range and symptoms but serologically distinct. It was not detected in onion and shallot from Europe or North Africa. A virulent strain of this virus caused striping in sap-inoculated garlic (A. sativum) and Formosan lily (Lilium formosanum). The new WoYSV, infecting Welsh onion in Indonesia and Japan, was earlier described in Japan as OYDV from rakkyo and Welsh onion. It appeared serologically closely related to SYSV and distantly to OYDV, but differed in its host range.Host-specific strains of LYSV and OYDV were detected in garlic, wild garlic (A. longicuspis), an unidentifiedAllium species (suffix-G), and great-headed garlic (A. ampeloprasum var.holmense) (suffix-GhG)., LYSV-G and OYDV-G infected on average 45% and 73%, respectively, of the garlic samples of worldwide origin. Symptoms of isolates of both strains varied in severity, implying the necessity of serological tests for disease diagnosis and health certification. LYSV-GhG was the cause of yellow striping in 93% of the great-headed garlic plants tested, mainly from the Mediterranean area. One sample was also infected with OYDV-GhG.Many samples from vegetatively propagated crops grown from non-certified planting stock contained a few plants free of potyviruses, implying the possibility to obtain healthy (and possibly resistant) selections of such cultivars avoiding meristem-tip culture. Cross-protection of garlic sets by a mild potyvirus isolate seems to be an alternative to the use of vulnerable virus-free sets.Generally, viruses and virus strains could not be transmitted to anyAllium species other than their natural host, except to the highly susceptible crow garlic (A. vineale). This species, and other predominantly vegetatively propagating wildAllium spp. (field garlic,A. oleraceum; ramsons,A. ursinum; sand leek), were found not to be reservoirs of viruses that might infectAllium crops in the netherlands. Streaking in vegetatively propagated wild leeks (A. ampeloprasum and closely related species) originating from the Mediterranean area and Asia was due to an undescribed miteborne virus. The survey confirmed that spread of potyviruses inAllium crops in the Netherlands is from planting sets, and from a neighbouring crop only if of the same species.     

Survey for viruses infecting onion, garlic and leek crops in Iran

Surveys to identify virus diseases affecting garlic ( Allium sativum ), onion ( Allium cepa ) and Persian leek ( Allium ampeloprasum var. persicum ) were conducted from 1999 to 2002. Surveys covered different regions of Iran (Tehran [different vegetable markets, farmer fields and cultivation areas], Noushahr, Chalous, Roudbar, Sari, Hamadan, Touyserkan, Ghazvin and Jiroft). A total of 2045 (1285 garlic, 525 onion and 230 leek) samples showing symptoms of virus infection were collected and tested by ELISA; and in some cases tests were also confirmed by immunoelectron microscopy (IEM) for the presence of Allium viruses. ELISA results showed that the following viruses were detected: Onion yellow dwarf virus (OYDV), Leek yellow stripe virus (LYSV) (genus Potyvirus , family Potyviridae ), Garlic common latent virus (GarCLV), Shallot latent virus (SLV) (genus Carlavirus ), Garlic virus D (GarV-D), Garlic virus B (GarV-B) and Garlic virus C type (GarV-C) (genus Allexivirus ). None of the samples reacted with antibodies to Shallot yellow stripe virus (SYSV) genus Potyvirus , family Potyviridae ), Shallot virus X (ShVX) and Garlic virus A (GarV-A, genus Allexivirus ). GarCLV, SLV, GarV-D, GarV-B and GarV-C are reported for the first time from Allium crops in Iran.     

Characterization of two races of the stem and bulb nematode (Ditylenchus dipsaci) in Israel

Two distinct races ofDitylenchus dipsaci in Israel were identified: one, which infects and damages onion and garlic, reproduces on pea, but does not infect phalaris grass; and a second, which infects and damages phalaris—and, probably, also ‘Saia’ oats—but fails to infect onion and garlic. A new ‘garlic’ race of the nematode does not appear to have been introduced into Israel together with the ‘Lavinia’ garlic cultivar, as previously speculated, but rather the introduced Lavinia clone is highly susceptible to the existing ‘onion and garlic’ race ofD. dipsaci.     

大蒜与黄瓜轮作控制黄瓜疫病及其化感作用初探

传统农业种植中常将目标作物与化感作物轮作控制土传病害,但对化感作物控病机制研究较少。本文研究了温室大蒜与黄瓜轮作对黄瓜疫病的控制效果,并进一步研究了大蒜组织挥发物和浸提液对甜瓜疫霉Phytophthora melonis及黄瓜种子萌发的影响,以期为利用大蒜与黄瓜轮作控制黄瓜疫病提供理论指导。结果表明,大蒜与黄瓜轮作可以有效降低黄瓜疫病的发生;大蒜不同组织挥发物和浸提液对P.melonis的各生长阶段都表现出显著的抑菌活性,其中蒜瓣的抑菌活性最强,挥发物(紫皮蒜/白皮蒜)在含量0.5 g/皿时对菌丝生长的抑制率均为100%;蒜瓣浸提液(紫皮蒜/白皮蒜)在浓度1.67 mg/mL时对菌丝生长的抑制率分别为32%和45%;在浓度0.25 mg/mL时对游动孢子萌发的抑制率分别为98%和53%。另外,大蒜挥发物和浸提液在低浓度或含量对黄瓜种子的萌发并无显著抑制效果,但在中高浓度或含量会表现出延缓生长的现象。综上所述,大蒜不同组织产生和释放的化合物对P.melonis具有抑制活性,在生产上可以利用大蒜或大蒜秸秆与黄瓜轮作控制黄瓜疫病的发生。     

Effect of volatiles and crude extracts of different plant materials on egg viability ofmaruca vitrata andclavigralla tomentosicollis

The effect of volatiles and aqueous extracts of black pepper,Piper guineense; neem seed,Azadirachta indica; garlic bulb,Allium sativum; and onion bulb,Allium cepa on egg viability ofMaruca vitrata Fab. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) andClavigralla tomentosicollis Stål (Heteroptera: Coreidae) was evaluated in laboratory experiments. Compared with the other treatments, volatiles of black pepper and garlic bulb were superior in reducing hatch of freshly laid (12-h-old) eggs of both species of insects. Volatiles of onion bulb and neem seed had no effect on egg hatch. When aqueous extracts of the various plant materials were tested at 5%, 10% and 15%, extracts of black pepper, neem seed and garlic bulb caused a severe reduction in egg hatch, with black pepper and garlic bulb providing the highest reduction at all concentrations tested in both insects. When black pepper and garlic bulb were compared at 5% for their activity in relation to egg age, the effect of black pepper decreased with increasing egg age but the performance of garlic was consistent across the various age groups tested in both insects. This result is indicative of the potential of using these plant materials and especially garlic for the management ofM. vitrata andC. tomentosicollis.     

Comparison of Physical, Chemical and Biological Methods of Controlling Garlic White Rot

Treatment of garlic cloves with tebuconazole (at 1ml of Folicur 25% l^–1) achieved a significant reduction in the rate of disease progress and the final incidence of plant death by Sclerotium cepivorum: garlic yields were improved. Although soil solarization provided the best control of garlic white rot, bringing soil populations of S. cepivorum to negligible levels, similar levels of disease control and garlic yields were achieved when tebuconazole was sprayed to stem bases of plants grown from cloves also treated with tebuconazole. This double treatment almost doubled the yield compared with untreated plants and significantly increased bulb quality under high disease pressure conditions. Soil solarization was also highly effective in a second consecutive crop of garlic, with significant improvements in yield and garlic quality. In contrast, lower levels of disease control were obtained when selected isolates of Trichoderma harzianum and Bacillus subtilis were applied to the soil and cloves respectively.     

Crude garlic extract significantly inhibits replication of grapevine viruses

Efforts to control viral diseases of grapevine include the production of certified material and development of virus-resistant transgenic grapevines. However, effective antiviral agents, once the viruses have infected the plants, are still lacking. This study shows that a crude garlic extract has significant antiviral activity against grapevine viruses. Replication of grapevine leafroll-associated virus 2 (GLRaV-2) was obviously inhibited in grapevine cv. Cabernet Sauvignon calli treated with diluted (1:100) garlic extract. The relative RNA levels of GLRaV-2 and grapevine fleck virus (GFkV) in cv. Summer Black grapevine in in vitro-grown plantlets 10 days after treatment with diluted (1:100) garlic extract were about 22% and 20%, respectively, of that in controls. The viral RNA accumulation of GLRaV-2, GFkV, grapevine virus A (GVA), grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV) and grapevine rupestris stem pitting-associated virus (GRSPaV) in field-grown grapevine cv. Centennial Seedless plants sprayed with diluted (1:100) garlic extract were about 31–40%, 26–38%, 18–31%, 17–42% and 15–18%, respectively, of that in controls. Moreover, the garlic extract treatment led to a significant decrease in viral RNA accumulation of GLRaV-3, GLRaV-2, GVA, GFkV, GFLV, GRSPaV and grapevine Pinot Gris virus in pot-grown grapevine cv. Shine Muscat plants, and viral disease symptoms in these plants were obviously attenuated. In addition, this extract significantly induced expression of pathogenesis-related protein genes and stimulated activity of antioxidant enzymes in grapevines. Taken together, these results indicate that the crude garlic extract acts as a significant inhibitor against a broad range of grapevine viruses.     

New mite-borne virus isolates from rakkyo,shallot and wild leek species

Flexuous viruses were transmitted from rakkyo (Allium chinense) and wild leek species (especiallyA. commutatum) to plants of crow garlic (A. vineale), by transfer of dry bulb mites. By electron microscope decoration tests using three antisera and by inoculations onto test plants, it was concluded that from each of the two natural host species at least two viruses were isolated. The viruses from wild leeks are both pathogenic onAllium spp. and may be of economic importance. Decoration tests on a virus mixture from shallot obtained earlier, revealed another new mite-borne virus in this species. The mite-borne viruses ofAllium spp. appear to be very common; they are largely diverse and their identification remains difficult.     

Double-edged effects of the cryogenic technique for virus eradication and preservation in shallot shoot tips

Plant virus eradication is a prerequisite for the use of virus-free propagules for sustainable crop production. In contrast, virus preservation is required for all types of applied and basic research of viruses. Shoot tip cryopreservation can act as a double-edged strategy, facilitating either virus eradication or virus preservation in cryoderived plants. Here, we tested the efficacies of shoot tip cryopreservation for virus eradication and preservation in shallot (Allium cepa var. aggregatum). In vitro stock shallot shoots infected with onion yellow dwarf virus (OYDV) and shallot latent virus were thermotreated for 0, 2, and 4 weeks at a constant temperature of 36℃ before shoot tip cryopreservation. Results showed that viruses were preserved in recovered shoots when thermotherapy was not applied. Although thermotherapy lowered the regrowth levels of cryotreated shoot tips, the efficiency of virus eradication increased from 5% to 54%. Immunolocalization of OYDV and histological observation of cryotreated shoot tips showed the high frequency of virus preservation was due to the viral invasion of cells close to the apical meristem and the high proportion of cells surviving. Four weeks of thermotherapy drastically decreased the distribution of OYDV, as well as the percentage of surviving cells within the shoot tips, thereby promoting virus eradication. Virus-free plants obtained from combining thermotherapy with cryotherapy showed significantly improved vegetative growth and bulb production. The present study reports how thermotherapy can act as a trigger to facilitate either the safe preservation of Allium viruses or the production of virus-free shallot plants.     

Transmissibility of four tospoviruses by a thelytokous population ofThrips tabaci from Liguria, Northwestern Italy

Studies were carried out on a population ofThrips tabaci Lindeman (Thysanoptera: Thripi-dae) from Liguria to assess its sex-ratio and its ability to transmit four tospoviruses: tomato spotted wilt (TSWV), impatiens necrotic spot, tomato chlorotic spot and groundnut ringspot. The population was composed of females only (therefore thelytokous). The first instar larvae were allowed to acquire the virus for 48 h on infected leaves of datura, basil or pepper, and then reared on cucumber until emergence, which medially occurred 9.5 days after hatching. Transmission capacity was checked using two inoculation access periods (lAPs) of 48 h each on pepper leaf disks.T. tabaci was able to transmit TSWV isolate P105 with an efficiency of 16.7% and 4.4% in the first and second IAP, respectively, and TSWV isolate BR-01 with an efficiency of 2.0%. The onion thrips did not transmit the three other tospoviruses. During the IAPs, almost all adults fed on the leaf disks, producing evident silvery scars. The presence of tospovirus nucleocapsids in thrips was assayed by Triple Antibody Sandwich (TAS) and cocktail ELISA. Not all adults that had transmitted TSWV were positive in the tests, whereas some non-transmitter individuals proved positive. For each of the other tospoviruses, some thrips were positive in at least one test, although none was able to transmit the virus.     

Improved PCR detection of potyviruses in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Allium</Emphasis> species

Protocols for producing virus-free Allium plants require an indexing system that is more sensitive than DAS-ELISA and can detect low virus concentrations in infected plants. In the present work, degenerate primers were designed and a one-step IC-RT-PCR protocol was developed to differentiate between Leek yellow stripe virus (LYSV) and Onion yellow dwarf virus (OYDV) in single and mixed infections in several Allium spp. A 566-bp band was observed for LYSV, a 489-bp band for OYDV in single infections, and two bands of the same sizes in mixed infections in different species of Alliaceae. A 508-bp band of Shallot yellow stripe virus and a 594-bp band of Turnip mosaic virus were also amplified with the same primers. RT-nested-PCR was also conducted directly in microtitre plate wells after negative or questionable reactions were produced in an ELISA experiment. The detection limit of the DAS-ELISA for LYSV was 16.5–27.3 ng ml⁻¹. The RT-nested-PCR done after DAS-ELISA was 10² times more sensitive than the DAS-ELISA alone. In parallel, an IC-RT-nested-PCR in microcentrifuge tubes was 10⁴ times more sensitive than the DAS-ELISA. The DAS-ELISA-RT-nested-PCR enables the initial screening of samples by DAS-ELISA to eliminate a high percentage of virus-positive plants, considerably reducing the number of plants to analyze further by RT-PCR.     

Parsley latent virus,a new and prevalent seed-transmitted,but possibly harmless virus of Petroselinum crispum

Parsley latent virus, a hitherto undescribed virus, was isolated from 38 out of 54 samples of seed of parsley (Petroselinum crispum) of 17 out of 24 cultivars and from all five European countries tested, but not from some samples from the USA. It could easily be detected in seedlings and also in seeds germinated on moist filter paper, but not in dry seeds or in seeds soaked in water. Strawberry latent ringspot virus was detected in five samples. The parsley virus is symptomless in parsley and caused latent systemic infection inGomphrena globosa, three cultivars ofSpinacia oleracea and weak and often transient systemic symptoms inChenopodium amaranticolor, C. giganteum, C. glaucum andC. quinoa, but did not infect any other species out of all 32 species of seven plant families tested in total.The virus could easily be transmitted mechanically but not by seven aphid species in the non-persistent manner. Dilution end-point was between 100 and 1000, thermal inactivation between 55 and 60°C and ageing in vitro between 7 and 10 days.Purification yielded a single infectious component. The particles were spherical, ca. 27 nm in diameter, with a sedimentation coefficient of 127.5 S, a buoyant density of 1.449 g/ml, an RNA content of 36% and one type of protein with a relative molecular mass of 22×10³. Purificition without Triton and urea resulted in preparations with aggregates each consisting of 12 particles in icosahedral array.The virus differs from all viruses described so far and did not show clear serological affinity with antisera to any of 34 widely differing viruses tested. It does not seem of direct practical importance and may be easily overlooked.Samenvatting In zaailingen van peterselie (Petroselinum crispum) werd een nog niet eerder beschreven virus aangetroffen. Het virus kon niet worden aangetoond door toetsing van droge of in water geweekte zaden opChenopodium quinoa maar wel in op filtreerpapier gekiemde zaden en vooral in zaailingen. Het werd aangetroffen in 38 van de 54 getoetste herkomsten, in 17 van de 24 getoetste rassen en in zaad vermeerderd in alle zes hierop onderzochte Europese landen maar niet in enkele zaadmonsters uit de USA. In sommige monsters bevatten nagenoeg alle zaden het virus. In vijf herkomsten werd eveneens het nog niet eerder in peterselie gerapporteerde latente aardbeikringvlekkenvirus geconstateerd. Dit virus kan bij toetsing gemakkelijk worden herkend door systemische symptomen inC. amaranticolor en komkommer.In geïnfecteerde peterselieplanten zijn geen afwijkingen waargenomen. Het virus kon niet op non-persistente wijze worden overgebracht met zeven bladluissoorten maar wel gemakkelijk met sap. Van 32 getoetste plantesoorten van zeven families, waaronder vier schermbloemigen, kon het virus slechts worden overgebracht op vierChenopodium-soorten,Gomphrena globosa en alle drie getoetste spinazierassen. AllenC. quinoa (Fig. 1),C. giganteum, C. glaucum en soms ookC. amaranticolor (Fig. 2) reageerden met vaak voorbijgaande systemische symptomen. Een lokalelesietoetsplant werd niet gevonden. Zaadovergang bijC. quinoa kon niet worden aangetoond.Voor de houdbaarheid van het infectievermogen werden de volgende waarden gevonden: verdunningseindpunt 100–1000, thermaal inactiveringspunt 55–60°C en houdbaarheid in vitro 7–10 dagen.Zuivering door homogenisatie in fosfaatcitroenzuurbuffer, behandeling met Triton X-100 en ureum en differentiële en daarna dichtheidsgradiëntultracentrifugering leverde preparaten op met uniforme deeltjes van ca. 27 nm diameter (Fig. 3B), een sedimentatiecoëfficiënt van 127,5 S, een zweefdichtheid van 1,449 g/ml, een RNA-gehalte van 36% en een relatieve moleculaire massa van de eiwitondereenheid van 22×10³. Bij zuivering zonder toepassing van Triton en ureum werd een extra zone verkregen met aggregaten van 12 deeltjes in icosaëdrische rangschikking (Fig. 4). In ruw plantesap waren slechts met grote moeite enkele deeltjes met behulp van de elektronenmicroscoop te vinden.Het virus reageerde niet met antisera tegen 33 bolvormige virussen en luzernemozaïekvirus (Tabel 1). Of de zwakke reactie verkregen met één antiserum tegen het tomate-aspermievirus een verre serologische verwantschap inhoudt, dan wel het gevolg is van een verontreiniging, werd niet vastgesteld.Het virus wordt beschouwd als een geheel nieuw virus waarvoor de naamlatent peterselievirus wordt voorgesteld. Het lijkt door zijn beperkte waardplantenreeks en symptoomloosheid in de vatbaar bevonden soorten, behalve in enkele als toetsplant te gebruikenChenopodium-soorten, nauwelijks van praktische betekenis.