Plant Viruses Online   

Descriptions and Lists from the VIDE Database

Commelina diffusa potyvirus

Index

• Nomenclature
• Host range, transmission and symptoms
• Physical and biochemical properties
• Taxonomy and relationships
• Comments and References

Data collated by F.W. Zettler, 1989.

Nomenclature

ICTV decimal code

57.0.1.DE.04

Host range and symptoms

Natural host range and symptoms

Symptoms persist.
• Commelina diffusa - mosaic.
• Tradescantia spathacea - mild mosaic.

Transmission

Transmitted by a vector; an insect; Aphis gossypii, Myzus persicae; Aphididae. Transmitted in a non-persistent manner. Virus transmitted by mechanical inoculation; not transmitted by grafting; not transmitted by contact between plants; not transmitted by seed.

Ecology and control

Studies reported by Morales and Zettler (1977); Baker and Zettler (1988).

Geographical distribution

Spreads in Puerto Rico and the USA (Florida).

Experimental host range

Few (<3) families susceptible. Experimentally infected plants mostly show systemic mosaics, mottles, ringspots or necrosis.

Diagnostically susceptible host species and symptoms

• Commelina diffusa - mosaic.
• Tradescantia spathacea - mild mosaic.

Diagnostically insusceptible host species

Aneilema aequinoctiale, Commelina benghalensis, Commelina erecta, Murdannia nudiflora, Tradescantia zebrina.

Maintenance and propagation hosts

Commelina diffusa, Tradescantia spathacea.

Assay hosts (Local lesions or Whole plants)

Commelina diffusa (W).

Susceptible host species

• Commelina diffusa
• Tradescantia spathacea

Insusceptible host species

• Aneilema aequinoctiale
• Apium graveolens
• Belamcanda chinensis
• Capsicum annuum
• Chenopodium amaranticolor
• Commelina benghalensis
• Commelina erecta
• Cucumis sativus
• Cucurbita maxima
• Datura stramonium
• Daucus carota
• Gomphrena globosa
• Murdannia nudiflora
• Nicotiana tabacum
• Nicotiana × edwardsonii
• Phaseolus vulgaris
• Philodendron selloum
• Pisum sativum
• Tradescantia zebrina
• Vigna unguiculata
• Zea mays

Families containing susceptible hosts

• Commelinaceae (2/7)

Families containing insusceptible hosts

• Amaranthaceae (1/1)
• Araceae (1/1)
• Chenopodiaceae (1/1)
• Commelinaceae (5/7)
• Cucurbitaceae (2/2)
• Gramineae (1/1)
• Iridaceae (1/1)
• Leguminosae-Papilionoideae (3/3)
• Solanaceae (4/4)
• Umbelliferae (2 /2)

Sources of host-range data

Morales and Zettler (1977); Baker and Zettler (1988).

Physical and biochemical properties

Properties of particles in sap

TIP: 50-60 °C. LIV: 12-20 days. DEP: log₁₀ minus 1-2. Leaf sap contains few virions.

Purification method

F.W. Zettler: several methods have been tried and been unsuccessful, due to the viscosity of Commelina diffusa extracts.

Particle morphology

Virions filamentous; not enveloped; usually flexuous; with a clear modal length; of 734 nm; c. 13 nm wide. Axial canal obscure. Basic helix obscure.

Cytopathology

Virions found in leaves, epidermis, companion cells, probably roots, probably mesophyll, vascular parenchyma and probably phloem; in cytoplasm (probably). Inclusions present in infected cells; are pinwheels; they contain virions.

Taxonomy and relationships

Potyvirus: Potyviridae

Virus(es) with serologically unrelated virions

Bidens mottle, blackeye cowpea mosaic, dasheen mosaic, lettuce mosaic, pepper mottle, potato Y, tobacco etch and turnip mosaic viruses.

Best tests for diagnosis

Can be distinguished from cucumber mosaic virus in naturally infected plants by the symptoms (Morales and Zettler, 1977).

Comments and References

References

• Baker, C.A. and Zettler, F.W. (1988). Plant Dis. 72: 513.
• Morales, F.J. and Zettler, F.W. (1977). Phytopathology 67: 839.

Cite this publication as: Brunt, A.A., Crabtree, K., Dallwitz, M.J., Gibbs, A.J., Watson, L. and Zurcher, E.J. (eds.) (1996 onwards). `Plant Viruses Online: Descriptions and Lists from the VIDE Database. Version: 20^th August 1996.' URL http://biology.anu.edu.au/Groups/MES/vide/

Dallwitz (1980) and Dallwitz, Paine and Zurcher (1993) should also be cited.