The two members of the watermelon mosaic virus subgroup, WMV-1 and WMV-2, were considered to be different viruses on the basis of host range and serology. Immune electron microscopy with serological differentiation indices of 2 to 3 confirmed this serological difference. Molecular
hybridization analysis using complementary DNA prepared by reverse transcription of randomly primed WMV-I RNA showed no homology between WMV-I and WMV-2 and the complementary
DNA from a range of legume infecting poty viruses and potato virus Y (PVY). Molecular hybridization
analysis further confirmed that WMV-I and WMV-2 are distinct viruses