Characterization of the alfalfa mosaic virus strain T6

A strain T6 of alfalfa mosaic virus (AlMV) was characterized. It was isolated from field grown lucerne. Purified virus preparations contained four types of particles, B, M, Tb and Ta, containing separately encapsidated ssRNAs 1 to 4. The strain T6 was able to infect 40 different plant species of 9 families, and to develop a systemic infection in most of them. The symptomatology on bean and the RNA mobility of the AlMV strains T6 and 425 were compared. The classical cross-protection experiments on bean have shown that plants inoculated with strain 425 did not develop symptoms of the challenge strain T6.