LIMITED DEGREE OF SEROLOGICAL VARIABILITY IN PEPPER STRAINS OF POTATOVIRUS-Y AS REVEALED BY ANALYSIS WITH MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES

The degree of serological variability among pepper strains of potato v irus Y (PVY) was assessed through the analysis of samples of infected pepper collected in three main pepper producing regions of Spain. Samp les corresponding to the period 1980-1991 were analysed by ELISA with five different monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) produced against potato st rains of the virus. The results obtained show a limited degree of epit ope variability among pepper PVY-isolates, since only eight out of 32 possible serological profiles were found. Most isolates are not recogn ised by a MAb directed towards an epitope reported to be present in al l potato-PVY isolates. The overall serological behaviour of pepper iso lates with these MAbs places them as closer to the group O, of the thr ee groups into which the potato isolates of PVY have been subdivided.