Joseph, P JRamanatha Menon, MKAU2019-07-192019-07-191978Agricultural Research Journal of Kerala, 16(2), 148-154.http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810115629The symptom of snake gourd mosaic disease manifested as mosaic pattern with dark green raised blisters on the leaf lamina. The size of leaves severely reduced ; internodes shortened and the growth of the plant is retarded. The infected plants blossom sparingly and set few fruits. The virus is sap and insect transmissible; both Aphis gossypii and A cracdvora transmitted the virus. Studies on the vector-virus relationships with A. cracdvora showed that the vector could acquire the virus with 5 minutes acquisiton feeding and transmit it with 5 minutes feeding on a healthy test plant. A minimum of 5 aphids are required for transmission and pre-acquisition starvation increased the efficiency whereas pre-infection starvation beyond 30 minutes ^uucod it. The vector could met retain the virus for long periods and the relationship was of non-persistent nature. The physical properties of the virus are: T.!. P. of 70 -75°C, D.E.P. ,of 1 '.5000-1 :1 0000, longevity in vitro of 72-96 hours at room temperature and 144—168 hours at "lOt). Eight species of plants in 3 families ^c susceptible to infection by the virus. Based on the above characteristics, the virus causing mosaic disease of snake gourd in Kerala is identified as a strain of ucumis virus 1 .ennullArticle