Host range and symptom variation of pseudorecombinant virus produced by two distinct bipartite geminiviruses.

Within the whitefly group only the species Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) is the vector. Most whitefly-transmitted geminiviruses possess bipartite DNA genomes, DNAs A and B. Although they are closely related to each other, the production of viable pseudorecombinants between bipartite geminiviruses by reassortment of infectious cloned components is generally limited to strains of a particular virus. Following exchange of cloned genomic components of Sida golden mosaic virus (SiGMV/Hoyv) and Abutilon mosaic virus (AbMV), the pseudorecombinant viruses were infectious in various host plants. The symptom type of pseudorecombinant virus was in most cases determined by DNA B. However, in some host plants also DNA A of the pseudorecombinant virus was involved in the symptom phenotype.