Host range and properties of tobacco stunt virus

Abstract

Tobacco stunt virus (TSV) was mechanically transmitted to 41 species in 9 families: i.e., Aizoaceae, Amaranthaceae, Apocynaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Leguminosae, Pedaliaceae, and Solanaceae. TSV remained infective for 60 h in 0.001 M 1-phenylthiosemicarbazide (1-PTC) in 0.01 M phosphate buffer, pH 6.8, but was infective only immediately after extraction in phosphate buffer. TSV in 1-PTC-phosphate buffer had a thermal inactivation point between 75 and 80 °C and a dilution end point between 10−2 and 10−3. Comparative studies made on reaction of host plants, serological reaction, and cross protection indicate that TSV is unrelated to a California isolate of tobacco necrosis virus.