Purification, serology and properties of five zucchini yellow mosaic virus isolates

Five zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) isolates designated ZYMV-1, -3, -5, -7 and -FL were purified from zucchini plants grown under the same environmental conditions. Isolates were divided into three groups on the basis of yield of purified virus: group one (ZYM V-5 and -7) yielded 18-24 mg/100 g tissue, group two (ZYMV-3) 5.0-5.7 mg/100 g tissue, and group three (ZYMV-1 and -FL) low yields of 0-5-1-5 mg/100 g tissue. The yield of purified virus was positively correlated with the number of local lesions produced by inoculation of Chenopodium amaranticolor with extracts from infected zucchini leaf tissue. No serological differences were exhibited among the isolates in SDS-immunodiffusion tests. Results of ELISA tests indicated that ZYMV-FL differed from the other isolates and that antiserum to ZYMV-7 absorbed with ZYMV-FL failed to react with ZYMV-FL but retained some serological activity to ZYMV-7 and the other three Taiwanese isolates. The relative molecular masses of capsid proteins for the four ZYMV isolates from Taiwan and ZYMV-FL were similar.