Taxonomic descriptions of plant viruses now on-line

[Eric Zurcher]

Hello, all.

I'm pleased to announce that, thanks to a grant from the Australian Centre
for International Agricultural Research, detailed descriptions of viruses of
plants are now available on the Internet. Nearly all known plant viruses are
included. The descriptions are derived from the VIDE (Virus Identification
Data Exchange) database, using the DELTA system. The descriptions include
data on host range; transmission and control; geographical distribution;
physical, chemical and genomic properties; taxonomy and relationships; and
selected literature references. We include the database accession numbers
(up to Gb[89] and Em[44]) of the genomic sequences of viruses and of
satellite RNAs, and provide links to the NCBI taxonomy database to
facilitate searchs for these and for more current accessions. There are
generic-level summaries of data for viruses that are definitive or tentative
members of genera or `groups'. There are also tables (with appropriate
links) listing over 1500 host plant species, and their reported
(experimental) susceptibilities to these viruses. We hope this will be a
useful tool for virologist and plant pathologists around the world.

To access the descriptions, begin at URL

http://biology.anu.edu.au/Groups/MES/vide/

And please pass the word on to any virologist or plant pathologists in your
neighborhood! (I realize that TAXACOM is perhaps not the most appropriate
place for such an announcement, but I haven't been able to locate a listserv
for plant pathology.)

Your comments are very welcome.

Eric Zurcher
CSIRO Division of Entomology
Canberra, Australia
E-mail: ericz at ento.csiro.au