Clustering Potyviridae species on the basis of four major traits.

Abstract

Cluster analysis was used to examine taxonomic relationships among 31 potyviruses, using four categorical variables; genome segmentation, vector, inclusion bodies produced and host range. Analysis showed that regardless of weight given to genome segmentation, the fungus-transmitted viruses clustered in one group and the rest of the viruses in another at 60% level of similarity. It has been concluded that the creation of one family to include both the bymoviruses and potyviruses seems to be a reasonable compromise at the present time.