Variants of Triticum mosaic virus Isolated From Wheat in Colorado Show Divergent Biological Behavior.

Triticum mosaic virus (TriMV) is a recently discovered virus infecting wheat. We compared Colorado isolates C10-492 and C11-775 with the 06-123 isolate. Comparisons were made using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), infectivity assay, host range, dry weight (DW), inoculation of 'Mace' wheat with temperature-sensitive resistance to Wheat streak mosaic virus, and the deduced amino acid sequence of the coat proteins (CP) and P1 proteins. Both C10-492 and C11-775 infected 'Gallatin' barley and, when compared with 06-123, had significantly reduced ELISA values and virus titers in wheat. Both Colorado isolates caused symptomless infections in Mace, whereas 06-123 caused mosaic symptoms. The amino acid sequences of the CP differed by two and one amino acids for C10-492 and C11-775, respectively, compared with 06-123. The sequence of C10-492 differed from C11-775 by one amino acid. The P1 amino acid sequence of C10-492 and C11-775 differed from 06-123 by three and one amino acids, respectively. The C10-492 and C11-775 isolates reduced DW significantly in 'Karl 92' but significantly less than 06-123. In '2317' wheat, the Colorado isolates did not consistently cause significant reduction in DW, while 06-123 did. The data collectively indicate that C10-492 and C11-775 are isolates of TriMV showing biological behavior diverse from that of 06-123.