Abstract
The influence of various factors on 'Red Kidney' bean reaction to inoculation with PVM was studied. The highest increase in the number of local lesions on inoculated primary leaves was obtained when inoculum was prepared in 0.066 M phosphate buffer pH 7.5. A significant but not consistent increase in the number of local lesions was obtained when inoculated leaves were rinsed with phosphate buffer instead of water or when the plants were submitted to thermal shock treatment 2-6 days after inoculation. Quick-drying of inoculated leaves instead of rinsing caused some increase of the number of local lesions but was difficult to perform. Rinsing inoculated leaves with phosphate buffer and temperature shock treatment did not improve the detectability of PVM by bioassay on 'Red Kidney' bean plants when highly diluted inocula or mild virus isolates were used as well as when the presence of PVM was assayed in plants resistant to virus infection.