Zeidan, M., Department of Virology, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, PO Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
Cohen, J., Department of Virology, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, PO Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
Watad, A., Dept. Ornamental Horticulture, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, PO Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
Gera, A., Department of Virology, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, PO Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel

Symptoms associated with infection by Ornithogalum mosaic virus (OMV) were documented among horticulturally important Ornithogalum spp. grown in commercial greenhouses and open fields in Israel. OMV was mechanically transmitted to Chenopodium quinoa and C. amaranticolor. The virus was purified from infected C. quinoa using CsCI step gradient centrifugation. Virus yield of 18-24 mg kg-1 were obtained. Antiserum produced to the purified virus was highly specific in immunoblots and immunosorbent electron microscopy. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) utilising potyvirus-specific primers and the viral RNA resulted in the amplification of a DNA product of 1275 nucleotides. This PCR product was cloned and sequenced; it encoded an open reading frame of 333 codons and a 3' non-coding region of 275 nucleotides. Analysis of the amino acid sequences of the putative CP of the Israeli isolate of OMV showed 95% similarities to the South African isolate.