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A previously undescribed virus disease of lettuce, sugarbeets, other crop and weed hosts was found in the southwest desert regions of U.S.A. Affected lettuce and sugarbeet hosts exhibited interveinal yellowing, stunting, rolling, and brittleness of affected leaves. Since 1990, yellowing symptoms on desert lettuce and sugarbeet were shown to be induced by a mixture of lettuce infectious yellows virus (LIYV) and this previously undescribed virus termed lettuce chlorosis virus (LCV). LCV is a closterovirus with flexuous, filamentous particles 800-850 nm long. The virus is transmitted efficiently by both Bemisia biotypes. LCV differs significantly from LIYV and other previously described viruses in host range (LCV does not infect the Cucurbitaceae), insect transmission, and serology.