The potyvirus associated with the dappled fruit of Passiflora edulis in Kagoshima prefecture, Japan is the third strain of the proposed new species East Asian Passiflora virus (EAPV) phylogenetically distinguished from strains of Passion fruit woodiness virus

A potyvirus (isolate IB) causing dappled or faded fruits and foliar mosaic symptoms of purple passionfruit, was found in the botanical garden of Kagoshima University, Japan. This isolate - differed in host range from isolates of Passion fruit woodiness virus (PWV)-AO, previously reported to cause woodiness in Japan. Isolates IB and AO had 83% amino acid identity in their coat proteins (CPs). In phylogenetic analysis, East Asian isolates IB, AO, and PWV-Taiwan clustered together, and were distinguishable from Australian PWV and Brazilian Cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus isolates, which also cause woodiness in passionfruit. We propose the name East Asian Passiflora virus (EAPV) for the new potyvirus species.