Sether, D.M., Melzer, M.J, Busto, J.L., Zee, F., & Hu, J.S. 2005 Diversity and mealybug transmissibility of ampeloviruses in Pineapple.. Plant Disease 89(5): 450-456.

Notes: Mealybug wilt of pineapple (MWP) is one of the most destructive diseases of pineapple (Ananas comosus) worldwide. At least one Ampelovirus species, Pineapple mealybug wilt associated virus-2 (PMWaV-2), and mealybug feeding are involved in the etiology of MWP. A previously undescribed Ampelovirus sharing highest homology with PMWaV-1 and a putative deletion mutant sharing highest homology with PMWaV-2 were detected with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays using degenerate primers. Results were verified with additional sequence information and by immunosorbent electron microscopy. Sequence homology between the virus tentatively designated PMWaV-3, and PMWaV-1 and PMWaV-2, decreases toward the N-terminal across the HSP70 homolog, small hydrophobic protein, and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase open reading frames (ORF). Putative PMWaV-3 could not be detected with four different monoclonal antibodies specific for PMWaV-1 and PMWaV-2. The potential deletion mutant spanning the N-terminal of the HSP70 region was obtained from a pineapple accession from Zaire maintained at the USDA-ARS National Clonal Germplasm Repository in Hawaii. Putative PMWaV-3, like PMWaV-1 and PMWaV-2, is transmissible separately or in combination with other PMWaVs by Dysmicoccus brevipes and D. neobrevipes mealybugs. Plants infected with PMWaV-3 that were continuously exposed to mealybugs did not develop symptoms of MWP in the absence of PMWaV-2. Specific RT-PCR assays were developed for detection of putative PMWaV-3 and the deletion mutant.