In 2004 lettuce plants showing mosaic symptoms collected in São Manuel, SP were analyzed by electron microscopy, and particles with 730 nm typically from potyvirus were observed. After biological purification by monolesionals on Chenopodium quinoa, this isolate was sap inoculated on a host range assay. The virus infected C. quinoa and C. amaranticolor, causing local lesions and systemic mosaic. The virus did not induce symptoms on pea (Pisum sativum), but induced mosaic on the leaves of some lettuce cultivars such as Trocadero, White Boston, Regina, Verônica, Lucy Brown, Rafaela, Tainá, Vera and Laurel. The lettuce cultivar Gizele was tolerant to the virus. The coat protein gene was sequenced, and 97% aminoacids identity was observed with Bidens mosaic virus - BiMV (GenBank accession number AY960151). Differently of others previously BiMV isolates described, this isolate from lettuce was not able to infect Bidens pilosa, Helianthus annuus, Nicotiana tabacum TNN and N. glutinosa. The natural occurrence of BiMV infecting lettuce and causing mosaic symptoms similar to LMV, also the susceptibility of many lettuce cultivars to BiMV, could be an alert to the correct diagnosis of the viruses infecting this plant .
BiMV; potyvirus; PVY
