Yam mosaic, a new potyvirus infecting <i>Dioscorea cayenensis</i> in the Ivory Coast

Abstract

SUMMARY The major disease affecting Dioscorea cayenensis in the Ivory Coast is caused by a virus which was transmitted by mechanical inoculation to some Dioscorea spp. and Nicotiana benthamiana . In extracts of D. cayenensis leaves infectivity was lost after 10 min at 60 d̀C but not 55 d̀C and after dilution to 10 ‐3 but not 10 ‐2 . A purification procedure is described. The virus particles are flexuous filaments c . 785 nm long. The virus was transmitted by four aphid species in the non‐persistent manner, and is serologically related to four African potyviruses. The name yam mosaic virus is proposed; the present cryptogram is: */*:*/6:E/E:S/Ve/Ap, potyvirus group.