Identification of Tomato Aspermy Virus (TAV) and Chrysanthemum Virus B (CVB) from Dendranthema indicum in Korea

Chrysanthemums showing leaf mottling were collected from three southern locations in Korea in 1998. Two kinds of viruses were isolated from the leaves and were identified as tomato aspermy virus ch-TAV) and chrysanthemum virus B (ch-CVB), according to their host range, morphology, intracellular location, agar gel double diffusion test, and double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) analysis. The purified ch-TAV was spherical particles of approximately 29 nm in diameter and ch-CVB was filamentous particles of 685 nm long. Inclusion bodies were not observed in ch-TAV and/or ch-CVB infected chrysanthemum. ch-TAV showed positive serological reaction with TAV antiserum (ATCC-127) but not with CMV-pepper antiserum. In dsRNA analysis, four kinds of viral dsRNA were observed on ch-TAV and one viral dsRNA was shown on ch-CVB. Rate of co-infection with TAV and CVB in commercial chrysanthemums was 20.9%. On the other hand, infection with CVB alone was 97.2%. However, chrysanthemums naturally infected with TAV alone were not found.