The Passion fruit woodiness virus (

The Passion fruit woodiness virus (PWV) is the most frequently found virus in passion fruit vines in Brazil. Incidences of 71.8% and 73.1 % have been found in commercial crops in the states of São Paulo and Ceará, respectively (Gioria et al., 2000; Lima et al., 1996). PWV causes serious damages in passion fruit vines in all producing regions, reducing leaf area, decreasing productivity, yielding fruit without commercial value and reducing the economical lifespan of the orchard (Rezende, 1994; Gioria et al., 2000).
PWV is a species of the genus Potyvirus, family Potyviridae, whith particles of 670 to 750 nm in length and 12 to 15 nm in diameter, containing positive, single-stranded RNA and producing characteristic, pinwheel-shaped, lamellar inclusions in the cytoplasm of infected cells (Van Regenmortel et al., 2000; Taylor & Greber, 1973). Aphids are the vector of PWV in the field, especially the species Myzus persicae Sulz. and Aphis gossypii Glover (Chagas et al., 1981), with a non-persistent type of virus-vector relationship (Taylor & Greber, 1973). The virus is not transmitted through fruit seeds.