CHLOROTIC RING MOSAIC OF CHRYSANTHEMUM CAUSED BY A STRAIN OF CHRYSANTHEMUM-ASPERMY VIRUS IN INDIA

A virus causing chlorotic ring mosaic on a few cultivars of Chrysanthemums has been identified as a strain of Chrysanthemum aspermy virus-CR strain on the basis of particle morphology (28 nm), transmission by aphids in non-persistent manner, molecular weight of coat protein subunits as 24.5 kDa, and presence of five species of single-stranded RNA encapsidated in virus particles. The isolate designated as Chrysanthemum aspermy virus-CR strain did not show any serological relationship with cucumber mosaic virus strains, viz., CMV-C, CMV-D, CMV-S, CMV-L and CMV-T in agar gel double diffusion tests. A positive serological relationship has been established with tomato aspermy virus-N and Chrysanthemum aspermy virus.