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A taxonomic study of the host ranges of tymoviruses |
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| Authors: | P L GUY J L DALE M A ADENA† A J GIBBS |
| Institution: | Virus Ecology Research Group, Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University, G.P.O. Box 475, Canberra City, A.C.T. 2601, Australia;Plant Pathology Branch, Department of Primary Industries, Meiers Road, Indooroopilly, Queensland 4068, Australia;Department of Population Biology, Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University;Virus Ecology Research Group, Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University |
| Abstract: | Published data on the susceptibility of plant species to 18 tymoviruses were collated. These data showed that tymoviruses infected more species from the family of their natural field host than species from other families. The data also indicated that tymoviruses infected a greater proportion of species from the same primary division of the dicotyledons (crassinucellate or tenuinucelate) as their natural host than other species, but the correlation was not statistically significant. The susceptibility of 18 crassinucellate and 18 tenuinucellate test plant species to 10 tymoviruses was determined. The viruses infected about three times more plant species from the primary taxonomic division that contained the family of their field host than species from the other division; this difference was statistically significant. The separation of tymoviruses into two groups based on the taxonomic division containing their natural hosts and most of their experimental hosts correlates broadly with a classification of the tymoviruses based on the serological relationships of their particle coat proteins. |
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