A mosaic disease of cowpea (Vigna sinensis Endl.)

A mosaic disease of cowpea ( Vigna sinensis Endl.), prevalent in the bean-growing regions of China, is described.
The characteristic symptoms of the disease are conspicuous mosaic patterns, deformation and distortion of leaves and stunting of the plant.
The cowpea mosaic virus is transmitted by Aphis rumicis L., Macrosiphum pisi Kalt. and Aphis gossypii Glov. It is also transmitted by artificial juice inoculation. The virus is seed-bome. It withstands ageing m vitro for 3 days at 220 C. Its inactivation temperature is approximately 62° C. its tolerance to dilution is about 1: 3000.
Cowpea mosaic virus infects lima bean and Adzuki bean in addition to cowpea.
The relation of this virus to cowpea mosaic virus described by McLean and asparagus-bean mosaic virus described by Snyder is discussed.