THE OCCURRENCE AND ETIOLOGICAL IDENTIFICATION OF VIRUS DISEASES OF PASSIONFRUIT IN FUJIAN PROVINCE

Virus diseases occurred widely in the main growing areas of passion fruit in Fujian province. However, the rate of infection in the field varied from variety to variety. The rate of infection of hybrid varieties was higher than that of "local" ones. It was observed in field that the infected plants had shown ringspot, mosaic and distortion of the leaves and dieback on branch.Tests were carried out to determine the identity of the causal virus strains. Two virus isolates were obtained from the infected pssionfruit growing in fruit garden of Fruit Research Institute at FAAC. Two virus isolates were identified as two strains of cucumber mosaic virus, i, e. the common and the spinach strains, on the basis of host ranges and their symptons. physical properties, transmission via aphid, serology and particle morphology.Among the causal agents of virus diseases of passionfruit in Fujian province, CMV was considered as an important one.