ABSTRACT
The dianthovirus group was organized by the ICTV in 1982 with carnation ring spot virus as the type member. The group name is derived from the Latin generic name for carnation, Dianthus. Dianthoviruses are soil transmitted; however, vectors are unknown. Particles are polyhedral, ca. 31 to 34 nm in diameter. Two dianthoviruses have been reported in natural infections of legumes: red clover necrotic mosaic and sweet clover necrotic mosaic. Xiong and Lommel note that the homologies between the bipartite dianthovirus and the monopartite carmovirus and luteovirus decrease the importance of genome segmentation as a major criterion for virus classification. Sweet clover necrotic mosaic virus (SCNMV) has been described by Hiruki and coworkers, and its properties have been reviewed by Hiruki. SCNMV has been reported in naturally infected legumes in Canada.
