A severe mosaic disease of grain amaranths from India

A virus disease of grain amaranths (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.) producing severe mosaic mottling and curling of leaves with stunted growth of plants has been described. The causal virus is transmitted by mechanical sap inoculation and produced local lesions on Chenopodium amaranticolor, C. quinoa and Vigna sinensis and systemic disease symptoms on A. caudatus, A. frumontaceous A. hypochondriacus and Atriplex nitens and Spinacea oleracea. It is also transmitted by bugs (Nezara virudula) in non-persistent manner. The purified virus had a peak of ultraviolet absorbance at 260 nm and minimum at 240 nm. The virus with average diameter of 25+2 nm was serologically unrelated to Cucumber mosaic virus, Gomphrena mosaic virus and Tobacco ring spot virus.