CHARACTERIZATION AND GEOGRAPHICAL-DISTRIBUTION OF A NEW ILARVIRUS FROM FRAGARIA-CHILOENSIS

A previously undescribed virus, a new member of the ilarvirus group, w as isolated from wild Fragaria chiloensis plants collected in Chile an d imported into the United States during 1990 and 1992. The virus, for which the name fragaria chiloensis ilarvirus (FCIV) is proposed, was detected during the postquarantine period in eight symptomless accessi ons collected in different locations in Chile. FCIV was transmitted me chanically to Chenopodium quinoa, C. amaranticolor, and Cucumis sativu s but not to other herbaceous plants tested and was also transmitted t hrough seeds collected from naturally infected F. chiloensis plants. F CIV particles, purified from inoculated C. quinoa, were quasi-isometri c with a diameter of 21.4 nm, and bacilliform particles to 54.5 nm in length, containing a single polypeptide with relative molecular mass ( M(r)) of 28,000 and four RNA molecules of 3,700, 2,700, 2,600, and 1,2 00 bases, respectively. A polyclonal and a monoclonal antiserum to FCI V were produced. FCIV was related serologically to the ilarviruses asp aragus virus II and lilac ring mottle in indirect enzyme-linked immuno sorbent but not in immunosorbent electron microscopy assays. Based on tests with F. chiloensis accessions collected in the wild in Chile and along the Pacific coast of the United States and Canada, FCIV seems t o be geographically limited to Chile.