Phytoparasitica (1998) 26, 166-167

J. Cohen, M. Zeidan, A. Franck, E. Bekelman, S. Gotman and A. Gera (1998)
Viruses in Aconitum
Phytoparasitica 26 (2), 166-167
19th Congress of the Israeli Phytopathological Society, February 16-17, 1997, Bet Dagan, Israel, lecture
Abstract: Aconitum napellus (Ranunculaceae) is a new geophyte in great demand in Europe as a cut flower; the crop is vegetatively propagated. It was introduced into Israel in 1985, when tubers were imported from the Netherlands. The growing area exceeds 10 ha. One of the factors that limits the expansion of the growing area is the contamination of the tuber with fungal diseases and the low natural propagation index. To the best of our knowledge, no viral diseases of Aconitum have been reported so far. During surveys conducted in Israel, Aconitum plants with mild mosaic symptoms were observed. The causative agent was identified as cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). During 1997, plants with unusual viral symptoms of flower malformation, accompanied by mosaic on leaves, were observed in the Sharon area. Leaf samples were analyzed by mechanical inoculation of host plants and by transmission electron microscopy (EM) of leaf dip preparations. Double infection with CMV and unidentified elongated filamentous virus were detected. EM studies using ultrathin sections of infected Aconitum leaves revealed the presence of elongated virus particles. No inclusion bodies characteristic of potyvirus infection were observed. The virus was purified from naturally infected Aconitum. Purified preparations contained numerous filamentous particles similar to those observed in crude extracts of infected leaves. In SDS-PAGE of purified virus, one major protein component with Mr = 35,000 Da was observed after virus dissociation. Based on particles morphology, the absence of inclusion bodies, and the Mr of the coat protein, suggest that the virus belongs to the carlaviruses. For molecular characterization of the virus, complementary DNA was amplified using RT-PCR and cloned into a pGEMT/A-cloning kit. Two clones, with an insert of ~2,000 bp, were selected and characterized by restriction analysis. The sequence of these clones will be determined; these clones will be further used for diagnostic purposes.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Abed Gera

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
surveys/sampling/distribution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Cucumber mosaic virus	Aconitum (crop)	Israel