Taxonomy of rigid rod-shaped viruses transmitted by fungi

Abstract

Of 12 plant viruses with rigid rod-shaped particles transmitted by Plasmodiophoraceous fungi, 6 (soil-borne wheat mosaic (SBWMV), oat golden stripe (OGSV), Indian peanut clump (IPCV), peanut clump (PCV), potato mop-top (PMTV) and sorghum chlorotic spot viruses (SCSV) are definite members of the Furovirus genus. Six others (beet necrotic yellow vein (BNYVV), beet soil-borne (BSBV), broad bean necrosis (BBNV), rice stripe necrosis (RSNV), Hypochoeris mosaic (HMV) and Nicotiana velutina mosaic viruses (NVMV) are possible members of the genus. The furoviruses infect cereal, potato and sugar beet crops grown in temperate or sub-tropical regions. The 2 beet viruses are transmitted by Polymyxa betae, PMTV by Spongospora subterranea, HMV and NVMV have unknown vectors, and the remaining 7 viruses are transmitted by P graminis. Molecular analysis showed that SBWMV, BNYVV and PMTV differ in numbers of RNA species and genome organization, suggesting that they should be considered to represent 3 distinct subgenera of the Furovirus genus. © 1995.