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Positive reactions in micro-precipitation tests showed the serological relationship between theTipula iridescent virus (TIV) fromTipula paludosa andPieris brassicae. In gel diffusion tests, the results were negative. Applying the fluorescent antibody technique the first fluorescent particles in the proleucocytes and amoebocytes ofP. brassicae were observed on the third day after infection with TIV. On the seventh day the hemocytes having reached their maximum size, were swollen and completely filled with the viral antigen. In the healthy larvae of the same age, the hemocytes appeared to be normal.

The nuclear polyhedral bodies fromMalacosoma neustria are enclosed within a membrane. The diameter of the nuclear polyhedra varies from 0.9 to 2.8 μ with an average of 1.8 μ. In the nuclear polyhedra the rod-like virus particles occur both singly and in bundles. The single virus rods are enclosed within two membranes, namely the intimate membrane and the developmental membrane. The virus rods which occur in bundles have an intimate membrane just like the single virus rods, whereas the developmental membrane encloses the whole bundle. The virus rods are closely packed by the intimate membrane and between the intimate and the developmental membrane is a space. The diameter of the virus rods without membranes, determined from sectioned polyhedra, is about 25 mμ and the length 250 mμ.

Since potato leafroll virus multiplies in the green peach aphid,Myzus persicae, the effect of the virus on the biology of its vector was investigated. Observations were made regarding the longevity and the reproduction rate of viruliferous and non-viruliferous aphids on leafroll-diseased and healthy plants ofPhysalis floridana. The same matters were investigated for both viruliferous and non-viruliferous aphids on seedlings of Chinese cabbage (Brassica pekinensis). It was shown that on leafroll-diseased plants ofP. floridana the aphids produced more progeny than on healthy ones, although the average number of progeny produced per day in both cases was almost the same. On healthy Chinese cabbage seedlings there was no difference in average length of the larval and adult stages, number of progeny per aphid, and number of progeny per day, between viruliferous and non-viruliferous aphids. Evidence was obtained that the virus does not influence the development of its vector. Measurements of oxygen consumption of both viruliferous and non-viruliferous aphids point in the same direction.

Electron micrographs show the presence of DNA-cores in the virus rods isolated from nuclear polyhedral bodies fromBarathra brassicae, Adoxophyes reticulana andOrgyia antiqua. The DNA-cores in the virus rods are enclosed by virus protein.