Characterization of typical pepper-isolates of PVY reveals multiple pathotypes within a single genetic strain

Potato virus Y (PVY) isolates originally coming from infected pepper plants , were biologically and genetically characterized, especially in comparison with PVY potato-isolates. Pepper PVY isolates could be differentiated from potato isolates in their host range, aphid transmission efficiencies, Mab serology, and genetic status. The genetic distances estimated for PVY peppe r-isolates, based on their restrictotypes with five restriction enzymes and on their coat protein gene sequences, indicated that they form a single ge netic strain with different pathotypic properties. This situation is essent ially different to that of PVY potato-isolates. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B .V. Ail rights reserved.