Comparison of Isolates of Panicum Mosaic Virus from St. Augustinegrass and Centipedegrass. G. E. Holcomb, Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology, Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge 70803. Tzy-Yin Zoe Liu, and K. S. Derrick. Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology, Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge 70803. Plant Dis. 73:355-358. Accepted for publication 1 December 1988. Copyright 1989 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-73-0355.

Several St. Augustine decline (SAD) isolates of panicum mosaic virus were compared with isolates of a virus that causes a recently described disease of centipedegrass, centipedegrass mosaic (CGM). The SAD and CGM virus isolates appeared to represent several virus strains based on serological and relative electrophoretic mobility properties, and they usually contained a satellite virus. Based on these properties and the presence of a satellite virus, isolates from centipedegrass could not be distinguished from those infecting St. Augustinegrass. Mechanical transmission of isolates between the two grasses was more difficult than transmission to the same grass. One CGM isolate was mechanically transmitted from centipedegrass to St. Augustinegrass and produced a typical mosaic, but the serological and electrophoretic properties of the virus in St. Augustinegrass were different from those of the original isolate in centipedegrass. CGM and SAD virus isolates with similar properties were obtained from a lawn mixed with centipedegrass planted from seed and St. Augustinegrass that was vegetatively propagated. No satellite virus was detected in one of the SAD isolates, but it produced a typical mosaic in St. Augustinegrass and could not be distinguished by symptomatology from satellite-containing SAD isolates under greenhouse conditions.

Keyword(s): Eremochloa ophiuroides, Stenotaphrum secundatum, turfgrasses, virus diseases.