The Effect of Temperature on Infection With Strains of Cucumber Mosaic Virus

Cucumber mosaic virus strains differed in their ability to multiply in plants at 37° C. Some strains multiplied in inoculated leaves and produced systemic symptoms in plants at this temperature; plants systemically infected with one such strain remained infected after prolonged treatment at 37° C. Other strains did not appear to multiply in inoculated leaves at 37° C. and heat treatment was successful in freeing plants from infection with these. Tests with one strain of each type showed both to be rapidly inactivated in expressed sap at 37° C. Strains of cucumber mosaic virus forming small necrotic local lesions in leaves of french bean var. Canadian Wonder, produced many fewer lesions in plants kept after inoculation at 25° C. for 24 hr. and then at 15° C. than in plants kept continuously at the lower temperature.