The serological relationships and some other properties of isolates of broad bean wilt virus from faba bean and pea in China

An isolate (N15) of broad bean wilt virus (BB W V) from faba bean in China was compared with some other isolates and strains including the nasturtium ringspot strain (NRSV, BBWV serotype I), parsley virus 3 (PV3, serotype I) and BBWV isolate PV131 (serotype II). In host range studies, N15 infected 12 of 14 species, including soybean and spinach. It was purified from Chenopodium quinoa and pea by a method that yielded up to 8mg/100g tissue. By the same method, NRSV yielded up to 4mg/100 g. Purified preparations of N15 and NRSV contained isometric particles c. 26 nm in diameter which sedimented as three components, N15 at 62, 93 and 117 S, and NRSV at 60, 91 and 116 S. In immunodiffusion tests using antisera to N15 and NRSV, N15 was distinguishable from NRSV but indistinguishable from PV131. In ISEM tests, many more particles of N15 and NRSV were trapped by homologous than by heterologous antiserum; in decoration tests, much antibody attached to homologous particles but none to heterologous particles. In DAS ELISA using N15 antiserum, N15 and six other Chinese faba bean or pea isolates, and a Chinese spinach isolate, were readily detected and were indistinguishable from each other and from PV131; unlike NRSV and PV3, none of the Chinese isolates, nor PV131, was detected using NRSV antiserum. These results indicate that the Chinese isolates belong to BBWV serotype II group.