ASSOCIATION OF AN UNKNOWN POTYVIRUS ISOLATE WITH A SEVERE MOSAIC DISEASE OF NARCISSUS TAZETTA L.

An isol ate of potyvirus was found to be associated with severe mosaic di sease in Narcisslls lazel/{! L. Electron microscopy, SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of coat protein, serological rel ationship and RT-PC R were carri ed out to identify the virus isolate. Electron microscopy of purified virus preparation revealed the presencc of tlexuou s parti cles of 730 x 13 nm. One band with a molecular wei ght of 33 kDa was obtained by SDS -polyacryl amide gel elec trophoresis . Serological relationship of the virus isolate with bean yellow mosaic virus was established in cl ectrob lot immunoassay. Employing potyvirus specitic primers in RT-PCR, a band of about 300 bp was obtained from the core region o f the coat protein , thus confirmi ng the association of a potyvirus with the mosaic disease of N. /a zella.