Psorosis, sometimes also associated with ringspot symptoms, is a widespread and damaging disease of citrus in many parts of the world including South America and the Mediterranean basin. We describe the application of RT‐PCR and DAS‐ELISA diagnostics to an isolate of citrus ringspot virus (CtRSV‐4) and other virus isolates associated with this disease. Fragments of cDNA from bottom‐component RNA of CtRSV‐4 were cloned and sequenced, and PCR primers were designed, 5′ACAATAAGCAAGACAAC upstream, and 5′CCATGTCACTTCTATTC downstream. RT‐PCR experiments using these primers allowed detection of CtRSV‐4 in infected citrus leaves down to a tissue dilution of 1/12 800 representing 2 μg of tissue, and less sensitive detection of the related citrus psorosis‐associated virus (CPsAV90‐1‐1) and four other psorosis isolates from Argentina and the USA. In addition, CtRSV‐4 particles were partially purified from local lesions in Chenopodium quinoa, and the preparations used to raise a rabbit antiserum. The antiserum was absorbed with extracts of healthy C. quinoa leaves, and a DAS‐ELISA kit was prepared and tested for detection of CtRSV‐4, CPsAV90–1‐1, and other psorosis isolates from Argentina, the USA, Italy and Spain. The ELISA detected CtRSV‐4 down to a tissue dilution of 1/1600, and most other psorosis isolates down to dilutions of 1/200–1/800. Three of a total of 20 heterologous isolates were consistently negative. Comparison of the PCR and ELISA results suggests that both methods can be used for detection of a range of psorosis isolates, but that variation of the viruses in the field might cause problems for any one diagnostic test.

Citrus psorosis is a serious viral disease affecting citrus trees in many countries. Its causal agent is Citrus psorosis virus (CPsV), the type member of genus Ophiovirus. CPsV infects most important citrus varieties, including oranges, mandarins and grapefruits, as well as hybrids and citrus relatives used as rootstocks. Certification programs have not been sufficient to control the disease and no sources of natural resistance have been found. Pathogen-derived resistance (PDR) can provide an efficient alternative to control viral diseases in their hosts. For this purpose, we have produced 21 independent lines of sweet orange expressing the coat protein gene of CPsV and five of them were challenged with the homologous CPV 4 isolate. Two different viral loads were evaluated to challenge the transgenic plants, but so far, no resistance or tolerance has been found in any line after 1 year of observations. In contrast, after inoculation all lines showed characteristic symptoms of psorosis in the greenhouse. The transgenic lines expressed low and variable amounts of the cp gene and no correlation was found between copy number and transgene expression. One line contained three copies of the cp gene, expressed low amounts of the mRNA and no coat protein. The ORF was cytosine methylated suggesting a PTGS mechanism, although the transformant failed to protect against the viral load used. Possible causes for the failed protection against the CPsV are discussed.

Some properties of the particles of citrus ringspot virus (CtRSV) and the related citrus psorosis-associated virus (CPsAV) are described. The particles of CtRSV have been reported to be sinuous linear structures about l0 nm in diameter and of two lengths (300 to 500 nm and 1500 to 2500 nm) representing 'top' and 'bottom' sedimentation components. We show that these particles are collapsed double-stranded forms of nucleocapsidlike, highly flexuous open circles formed of filaments 3 to 4 nm in diameter. Top-component filaments had contour lengths of 600 to 1000 nm, i.e. twice that reported for the corresponding collapsed form. Bottom-component filaments had contour lengths about four times longer than those of top-component filaments. The structures suggest that CtRSV represents a new genus (possibly family) related to the tenuiviruses. However, we failed to demonstrate any serological relationship between CtRSV and several tenuiviruses; moreover, the capsid protein sizes and host ranges are quite different. We offer the name Ophiovirus for the proposed new genus.

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