A proposal for a bean common mosaic subgroup of potyviruses

In order to elucidate the taxonomic positions of bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) and blackeye cowpea mosaic virus (B1CMV), several strains of these viruses were compared on the basis of host ranges, antigenic properties established with antisera to virions and to N-terminal peptide domains of their coat proteins, and high performance liquid chromatographic peptide profiles. The comparison includes three strains of BCMV, viz. NL1, NL3 and NY15, four strains of B1CMV, viz. Fla, Ind, NR, and W, and the Moroccan isolate (Mor) of cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus (CABMV), formerly designated as B1CMV-Mor. Based on these parameters, Fla, NR, and W are strains of one virus, whereas NL3, Ind and CABMV-Mor (and possibly NL1 and NY15) are separate viruses. In view of these characteristics which allow similar viruses to be separated, we propose that these viruses be included in a bean common mosaic subgroup of the genus Potyvirus.