Two unrelated viruses which cause woodiness of passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims)

Abstract

In Victoria cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) has been shown to be the cause of the woodiness disease of Passifloua edulis. This virus causes a slow decline of infected P. edulis seedlings, and a more rapid decline of vines grafted onto P. caerulea rootstocks. In Queensland a similar disease of passion fruit also occurs. The Queensland disease was shown to be caused by a virus which differed markedly from CMV, This virus, which is designated herein as passion fruit woodiness virus (PWV), has flexuous rod-shaped particles about 670 mµ in length. PWV was shown to be stylet-borne by the aphid Myzus persicae and to be transmitted to Phaseolus vulgaris and Sesbania exaltata by sap inoculation. The physical properties of PWV were determined, and two isolates of the virus were purified and antisera prepared against them.

Virus and Phytoplasma Diseases of Passion Fruit

“…In partially purified preparations, Taylor and Kimble (1964) found a normal length of 670nm, whereas Teakle and Wildermuth (1967) reported a figure of 745nm. The virus particles have molecular wt.…”

“…Different species of aphids transmit this virus in a non-persistent manner namely, Myzus persicae (Noble and Noble, 1939, Taylor, 1959, DaGraca, 1976, Aphis gossypii (Magee, 1948, Greber, 1966 and Aphis fabae (Bezerra et al, 1995).…”

“…Bountiful and from this host back to passion fruit and 25 other varieties of beans (Taylor and Kimble, 1964). The virus also occurs naturally in some tropical legumes, including Arachis hypogea, Centrosema pubescens, Crotolaria usaramoensis, Glycine max and Phaseolus atropurpureus, but is of minor importance in these species.…”

“…Experimentally, a mixed infection by the two viruses (PWV and CMV) in P. edulis causes a very severe disease (Taylor, 1959, Taylor andKimble, 1964) but naturally occurring mixed infections are not always so virulent. Details of woodiness virus disease has been given by Taylor and Greber (1973).…”

“…Antisera with titres up to 1/1024 were obtained by Taylor and Kimble (1964) by subcutaneous injections of virus in freund's adjuvant at several sites followed 10 days later by an intravenous injections. Serological precipitates in mixed liquids occur in a few min.…”