OCCURRENCE OF BEAN YELLOW MOSAIC-VIRUS IN SUBTERRANEAN CLOVER PASTURES AND PERENNIAL NATIVE LEGUMES

In 1990, infection with bean yellow mosaic virus (BYMV) was widespread in subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) pastures in the south -west of Western Australia. When 100 leaves were sampled at random per pasture, the virus was detected by ELISA in 23 of 87 pastures and inc idences of infection ranged from 1 to 64 degrees. BYMV was present in all seven districts surveyed, but highest incidences of infection occu rred in the Busselton district. In smaller surveys in 1989 and 1992, i ncidences of infection in pastures were higher than in 1990, and range d up to 90 degrees. In 1992, when petals from 1703 samples of 59 speci es of perennial native legumes from 117 sites were tested by ELISA, on ly 1% were found infected with BYMV. The infected samples came from 5/ 7 districts surveyed. Species found infected were Kennedia prostrata, K. coccinea, Hovea elliptica and H. pungens. Representative isolates o f BYMV from subterranean clover and native legumes did not infect whit e clover systemically confirming that clover yellow vein virus (CYVV) was not involved. It was concluded that BYMV infection was present in many subterranean clover pastures, but normally at low incidences, exc ept in epidemic years such as 1992. Also, perennial native legumes are unlikely to act as major reservoirs for reinfection of annual pasture s each year. In areas of Australia with Mediterranean climates where p erennial pastures are absent, persistence of the virus over summer is therefore by some other method than infection of perennials