The present invention relates to an allele designated alpha-CMV which confers resistance to CMV when present in a spinach plant, wherein the protein encoded by said allele is a CC-NBS-LRR protein that comprises in its amino acid sequence: a) the motif “MAEIGYSVC” (SEQ ID NO: 22) at its N-terminus; and b) the motif “KWMCLR” (SEQ ID NO: 23); and c) an LRR domain that has in order of increased preference at least 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 100% sequence similarity to SEQ ID NO: 10. The allele has a genomic nucleotide sequence which in order of increased preference has at least 80%, 81%, 82%, 83%, 84%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 100% sequence similarity to SEQ ID NO: 1. The invention further relates to plants comprising the allele and to various methods involving the allele.