scholarly journals First Report of Nemesia ring necrosis virus in North America in Ornamental Plants from California

Plant Disease ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 90 (9) ◽  
pp. 1263-1263 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. Mathews ◽  
J. A. Dodds

During the last several years, two California propagators have detected what was believed to be the tymovirus Scrophularia mottle virus (ScrMV) in several ornamental plant species on the basis of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using a ScrMV antibody system. Symptoms were generally mild, ranging from nonsymptomatic to a mild mosaic. Our laboratory confirmed the presence of a tymovirus in one Verbena sp. and two Diascia spp. cultivars on the basis of dsRNA analysis that showed bands of approximately 6,400 and 300 nucleotides representing the genomic and coat protein subgenomic RNAs, respectively. While these plants and those that were experimentally infected (Nicotiana benthamiana and N. clevelandii) also tested positive for ScrMV by ELISA, the host range did not match that published for ScrMV, notably the lack of symptoms in Chenopodium quinoa and the lack of systemic infection in Datura stramonium. A similar host range result was reported in Europe for another tymovirus that cross reacts with ScrMV antiserum, Nemesia ring necrosis virus (NeRNV) (2). Using NeRNV specific primers (1), we used reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to test plants that had previously tested positive for ScrMV by ELISA and had dsRNAs typical of a tymovirus. An amplicon of the appropriate size (960 bp) for NeRNV was obtained from each of five samples. Using ScrMV specific primers, the same samples failed to amplify the expected product. We have found NeRNV in three Diascia spp., one Verbena sp., and one Nemesia sp. plants in two counties in California (Riverside and San Diego). When the RT-PCR products were sequenced, they all had 99% sequence identities to NeRNV with 4 to 7 single nucleotide changes (GenBank Accession Nos. DQ648150 to DQ648154). Notably, each of the five amplicons had changes at nucleotides 5134 (G to C) and 5549 (G to T) when compared with the European isolates of NeRNV, which did not result in any amino acid changes. To our knowledge, this is the first report of NeRNV in North America and more specifically, in California. References: (1) R. Koenig et al. J. Gen. Virol. 86:1827, 2005. (2) A. L. Skelton et al. Plant Pathol. 53:798, 2004.

Plant Disease ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
pp. 102-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Adkins ◽  
L. Breman ◽  
C. A. Baker ◽  
S. Wilson

Blackberry lily (Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC.) is an herbaceous perennial in the Iridaceae characterized by purple-spotted orange flowers followed by persistent clusters of black fruit. In July 2002, virus-like symptoms including chlorotic ringspots and ring patterns were observed on blackberry lily leaves on 2 of 10 plants in a south Florida ornamental demonstration garden. Inclusion body morphology suggested the presence of a Tospovirus. Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) was specifically identified by serological testing using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Agdia, Elkhart, IN). Sequence analysis of a nucleocapsid (N) protein gene fragment amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with primers TSWV723 and TSWV722 (1) from total RNA confirmed the diagnosis. Nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of a 579 base pair region of the RT-PCR product were 95 to 99% and 95 to 100% identical, respectively, to TSWV N-gene sequences in GenBank. Since these 2-year-old plants were grown on-site from seed, they were likely inoculated by thrips from a nearby source. Together with a previous observation of TSWV in north Florida nursery stock (L. Breman, unpublished), this represents, to our knowledge, the first report of TSWV infection of blackberry lily in North America although TSWV was observed in plants of this species in Japan 25 years ago (2). References: (1) S. Adkins, and E. N. Rosskopf. Plant Dis. 86:1310, 2002. (2) T. Yamamoto and K.-I. Ohata. Bull. Shikoku Agric. Exp. Stn. 30:39, 1977.


Plant Disease ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 98 (5) ◽  
pp. 698-698 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Tomitaka ◽  
T. Usugi ◽  
R. Kozuka ◽  
S. Tsuda

In 2009, some commercially grown tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, exhibited mosaic symptoms. Ten plants from a total of about 72,000 cultivated plants in the greenhouses showed such symptoms. To identify the causal agent, sap from leaves of the diseased plants was inoculated into Chenopodium quinoa and Nicotiana benthamiana plants. Local necrotic lesions appeared on inoculated leaves of C. quinoa, but no systemic infection was observed. Systemic mosaic symptoms were observed on the N. benthamiana plants inoculated. Single local lesion isolation was performed three times using C. quinoa to obtain a reference isolate for further characterization. N. benthamiana was used for propagation of the isolate. Sap from infected leaves of N. benthamiana was mechanically inoculated into three individual S. lycopersicum cv. Momotaro. Symptoms appearing on inoculated tomatoes were indistinguishable from those of diseased tomato plants found initially in the greenhouse. Flexuous, filamentous particles, ~750 nm long, were observed by electron microscopy in the sap of the tomato plants inoculated with the isolate, indicating that the infecting virus may belong to the family Potyviridae. To determine genomic sequence of the virus, RT-PCR was performed. Total RNA was extracted from the tomato leaves experimentally infected with the isolate using an RNeasy Plant Mini kit (QIAGEN, Hilden, Germany). RT-PCR was performed by using a set of universal, degenerate primers for Potyviruses as previously reported (2). Amplicons (~1,500 bp) generated by RT-PCR were extracted from the gels using the QIAquick Gel Extraction kit (QIAGEN) and cloned into pCR-BluntII TOPO (Invitrogen, San Diego, CA). DNA sequences of three individual clones were determined using a combination of plasmid and virus-specific primers, showing that identity among three clones was 99.8%. A consensus nucleotide sequence of the isolate was deposited in GenBank (AB823816). BLASTn analysis of the nucleotide sequence determined showed 99% identity with a partial sequence in the NIb/coat protein (CP) region of Colombian datura virus (CDV) tobacco isolate (JQ801448). Comparison of the amino acid sequence predicted for the CP with previously reported sequences for CDV (AY621656, AJ237923, EU571230, AM113759, AM113754, and AM113761) showed 97 to 100% identity range. Subsequently, CDV infection in both the original and experimentally inoculated plants was confirmed by RT-PCR using CDV-specific primers (CDVv and CDVvc; [1]), and, hence, the causal agent of the tomato disease observed in greenhouse tomatoes was proved to be CDV. The first case of CDV on tomato was reported in Netherlands (3), indicating that CDV was transmitted by aphids from CDV-infected Brugmansia plants cultivated in the same greenhouse. We carefully investigated whether Brugmansia plants naturally grew around the greenhouses, but we could not find them inside or in proximity to the greenhouses. Therefore, sources of CDV inoculum in Japan are still unclear. This is the first report of a mosaic disease caused by CDV on commercially cultivated S. lycopersicum in Japan. References: (1) D. O. Chellemi et al. Plant Dis. 95:755, 2011. (2) J. Chen et al. Arch. Virol. 146:757, 2001. (3) J. Th. J. Verhoeven et al. Eur. J. Plant. Pathol. 102:895, 1996.


Plant Disease ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 84 (5) ◽  
pp. 596-596 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Desbiez ◽  
H. Lecoq ◽  
S. Aboulama ◽  
M. Peterschmitt

In October, 1999, severe yellowing symptoms were observed in a melon (Cucumis melo L.) crop grown under plastic tunnels in the region of Agadir, Morocco. Large populations of whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci) were noticed during the early stages of the crop. At harvest, leaf samples were collected from two symptomatic plants and one symptomless plant. A mature yellow leaf was assayed from each symptomatic plant and for one of these two plants a younger leaf exhibiting only yellow spots. Cucurbit aphid-borne yellows virus, which causes similar symptoms in melons, was not detected by double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tests. Total RNA was extracted from fresh leaf tissues and submitted to reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction with primers specific to two whitefly-transmissible viruses: Beet pseudo-yellows virus (BPYV) and Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV) (2). No amplification was obtained with BPYV-specific primers. In contrast, an expected 465-bp product was amplified in all samples from symptomatic plants with CYSDV-specific primers. No amplification was detected in samples from the symptomless plant nor from healthy control plants. B. tabaci-transmitted CYSDV has been reported in the Middle East, southwestern Europe, and North America (1,4). This is the first report of CYSDV in Morocco, and it follows the first report of another B. tabaci-transmitted virus, Tomato yellow leaf curl virus, in tomato (3), suggesting an important change in the viral pathosystem affecting vegetable crops in Morocco. References: (1) Kao et al. Plant Dis. 84:101, 2000. (2) Livieratos et al. Plant Pathol. 47:362, 1998. (3) Peterschmitt et al. Plant Dis. 83:1074, 1999. (4) Wisler et al. Plant Dis. 82:270, 1998.


Plant Disease ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 89 (5) ◽  
pp. 529-529 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. K. Chen ◽  
C. C. Yang ◽  
H. T. Hsu

Allamanda (Allamanda cathartica L., family Apocynaceae) is native to Brazil and is a popular perennial shrub or vine ornamental in Taiwan. Plants showing severe mosaic, rugosity, and leaf distortion symptoms on leaves are common in commercial nurseries and private gardens. Examination of crude sap prepared from symptomatic leaves using an electron microscope revealed the presence of spherical virus particles with a diameter of approximately 28 nm. The virus was mechanically transmitted to indicator plants and induced symptoms similar to those incited by Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). The virus caused local lesions on inoculated leaves of Chenopodium quinoa and C. amaranticolor and systemic mosaic in Cucumis sativus, Lycopersicon esculentum, Nicotiana benthamiana, N. glutinosa, N. rustica, and N. tabacum. On N. tabacum, necrotic ringspots developed on inoculated leaves followed by systemic mosaic. Tests of leaf sap extracted from naturally infected allamanda and inoculated indicator plants using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were positive to rabbit antiserum prepared to CMV. Viral coat protein on transblots of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis reacted with CMV subgroup I specific monoclonal antibodies (2). With primers specific to the 3′-half of RNA 3 (1), amplicons of an expected size (1,115 bp) were obtained in reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using total RNA extracted from infected allamanda and N. benthamiana. The amplified fragment (EMBL Accession No. AJ871492) was cloned and sequenced. It encompasses the 3′ part of the intergenic region of RNA 3 (158 nt), CP ORF (657 nt), and 3′ NTR (300 nt) showing 91.8–98.9% and 71.4–72.8% identities to those of CMV in subgroups I and II, respectively. Results of MspI-digested restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns of the RT-PCR fragment and the nucleotide sequence analysis indicate that the CMV isolate from allamanda belongs to subgroup IB, which is predominant on the island. To our knowledge, CMV is the only reported virus that infects allamanda and was first detected in Brazil (3), and this is the first report of CMV infection in allamanda plants occurring in Taiwan. References: (1) Y. K. Chen et al. Arch. Virol. 146:1631, 2001. (2) H. T. Hsu et al. Phytopathology 90:615, 2000. (3) E. W. Kitajima. Acta. Hortic. 234:451, 1988.


Plant Disease ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 94 (2) ◽  
pp. 276-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Menzel ◽  
S. Winter ◽  
K. R. Richert-Pöggeler

Hollyhocks are popular garden plants and selected cultivars of Alcea rosea (family Malvaceae) are widespread in Germany. In spring 2009, dozens of A. rosea plants displaying strong vein clearing and veinal yellowing symptoms were found in private gardens in Hannover, Lower Saxony. Electron microscopic examinations of negatively stained adsorption preparations of five randomly selected samples of symptomatic plants or their offshoots revealed flexuous filamentous particles resembling those of potyviruses. Sap extracts also reacted strongly positive in an antigen coated plate (ACP)-ELISA with the broad-spectrum potyvirus antiserum AS-0573/I (DSMZ, Braunschweig, Germany). RNA extracts (RNeasy Kit, Qiagen, Valencia, CA) of the above mentioned leaf samples were used as templates in reverse transcription (RT)-PCR assays with potyvirus specific primers (2) that have been shown to amplify the 3′ terminus of the genome of many potyvirus species. For extracts from symptomatic samples, this resulted in a consistent amplification of an ~1.6-kbp fragment, whereas no products were obtained from RNA extracts of asymptomatic plants. From one positive sample, the amplified fragment was cloned and one clone was partially sequenced. The nucleotide (nt) and amino acid sequences showed the highest identities (81 to 83% and 87 to 90%, respectively) to GenBank sequences FJ539084, FM212972, EU884405, and FJ561293 of the potyvirus Malva vein clearing virus (MVCM). On the basis of these identity values and according to the species demarcation criteria in the genus Potyvirus, the virus can be regarded as a German isolate of the recently sequenced MVCV (3,4). Direct sequencing of the 5′-end of the amplified RT-PCR fragment revealed sequences of only one potyvirus species. The virus isolate has been submitted to the DSMZ Plant Virus Collection (Braunschweig, Germany) under accession PV-0963 and the sequence obtained from the cloned cDNA is deposited in GenBank (GQ856544). In addition, sap from affected leaves was mechanically inoculated onto sets of herbaceous indicator plants (Chenopodium quinoa, C. foliosum, C. murale, C. amaranticolor, Datura stramonium, Nicotiana benthamiana, N. hesperis, Petunia hybrida, and Solanum lycopersicum) of which only C. quinoa plants became infected. Symptoms of weak chlorosis along and beside veins of inoculated leaves, but not systemic leaves, became visible 2 weeks postinoculation. Symptomatic leaves contained flexuous filamentous particles and ACP-ELISA and RT-PCR confirmed virus presence. The partially sequenced amplicon showed 99% nt identity to the sequence from the cloned cDNA. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a MVCV isolate naturally occurring in A. rosea and C. quinoa is the first host identified that does not belong to the plant family Malvaceae. In contrast, the MVCV isolate used in the host range study of Lunello et al. (4) did not infect A. rosea and C. quinoa, confirming previous host range descriptions by Brunt et al. (1). Since MVCV infections of hollyhocks seem to cause only leaf symptoms and do not noticeably affect growth or flowering of the plants, this will hopefully not impair the usability of this popular garden plant. References: (1) A. A. Brunt et al. Descriptions and Lists from the VIDE Database. Online publication. Version: 16th January, 1997. (2) J. Chen et al. Arch. Virol. 146:757, 2001. (3) A. Hein Phytopathol. Z. 28:205, 1957. (4) P. Lunello et al. Virus Res. 140:91, 2009.


Plant Disease ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 90 (11) ◽  
pp. 1461-1461 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Soule ◽  
K. C. Eastwell ◽  
R. A. Naidu

Washington State is the largest producer of juice grapes (Vitis labruscana ‘Concord’ and Vitis labrusca ‘Niagara’) and ranks second in wine grape production in the United States. Grapevine leafroll disease (GLD) is the most wide spread and economically significant virus disease in wine grapes in the state. Previous studies (2) have shown that Grapevine leafroll associated virus-3 (GLRaV-3) is the predominant virus associated with GLD. However, little is known about the incidence and economic impact of GLD on juice and table grapes. Because typical GLD symptoms may not be obvious among these cultivars, the prevalence and economic impact of GLD in Concord and Niagara, the most widely planted cultivars in Washington State, has received little attention from the grape and nursery industries. During the 2005 growing season, 32 samples from three vineyards and one nursery of ‘Concord’ and three samples from one nursery of ‘Niagara’ were collected randomly. Petiole extracts were tested by single-tube reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR; 3) with primers LC 1 (5′-CGC TAG GGC TGT GGA AGT ATT-3′) and LC 2 (5′-GTT GTC CCG GGT ACC AGA TAT-3′), specific for the heat shock protein 70 homologue (Hsp70h gene) of GLRaV-3 (GenBank Accession No. AF037268). One ‘Niagara’ nursery sample and eleven ‘Concord’ samples from the three vineyards tested positive for GLRaV-3, producing a single band of the expected size of 546 bp. The ‘Niagara’ and six of the ‘Concord’ RT-PCR products were cloned in pCR2.1 (Invitrogen Corp, Carlsbad, CA) and the sequences (GenBank Accession Nos. DQ780885, DQ780886, DQ780887, DQ780888, DQ780889, DQ780890, and DQ780891) compared with the respective sequence of a New York isolate of GLRaV-3 (GenBank Accession No. AF037268). The analysis revealed that GLRaV-3 isolates from ‘Concord’ and ‘Niagara’ share nucleotide identities of 94 to 98% and amino acid identities and similarities of 97 to 98% with the Hsp70h gene homologue of the New York isolate of GLRaV-3. Additional testing by double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA) using antibodies specific to GLRaV-3 (BIOREBA AG, Reinach, Switzerland) further confirmed these results in the ‘Niagara’ and two of the ‘Concord’ isolates. GLRaV-3 has previously been reported in labrusca cvs. Concord and Niagara in western New York (4) and Canada (1), but to our knowledge, this is the first report of GLRaV-3 in American grapevine species in the Pacific Northwest. Because wine and juice grapes are widely grown in proximity to each other in Washington State and grape mealybug (Pseudococcus maritimus), the putative vector of GLRaV-3, is present in the state vineyards, further studies will focus on the role of American grapevine species in the epidemiology of GLD. References: (1) D. J. MacKenzie et al. Plant Dis. 80:955, 1996. (2) R. R. Martin et al. Plant Dis. 89:763, 2005. (3) A. Rowhani et al. ICGV, Extended Abstracts, 13:148, 2000. (4) W. F. Wilcox et al. Plant Dis. 82:1062, 1998.


Plant Disease ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 84 (2) ◽  
pp. 202-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Levy ◽  
V. Damsteegt ◽  
R. Welliver

Plum pox (Sharka) is the most important virus disease of Prunus in Europe and the Mediterranean region and is caused by Plum pox potyvirus (PPV). In September 1999, PPV-like symptoms were observed in peach fruit culls in a packinghouse in Pennsylvania. All symptomatic fruit originated from a single block of peach (P. persica cv. Encore) in Adams County. Trees in the block exhibited ring pattern symptoms on their leaves. A potyvirus was detected in symptomatic fruit using the Poty-Group enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test from Agdia (Elkhart, IN). Reactions for symptomatic peach fruit and leaves also were positive using triple-antibody sandwich ELISA with the PPV polyclonal antibody from Bioreba (Carrboro, NC) for coating, the Poty-Group monoclonal antibody (MAb; Agdia) as the intermediate antibody, and double-antibody sandwich ELISA with PPV detection kits from Sanofi (Sanofi Diagnostics Pasteur, Marnes-La-Coquette, France) and Agdia and the REAL PPV kit (Durviz, Valencia, Spain) containing universal (5B) and strain typing (4DG5 and AL) PPV MAbs (1). PPV also was identified by immunocapture-reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (IC-RT-PCR) amplification and subsequent sequencing of the 220-bp 3′ noncoding region (2) (>99% sequence homology to PPV) and by IC-RT-PCR amplification of a 243-bp product in the coat protein (CP) gene (1). The virus was identified as PPV strain D based on serological typing with strainspecific MAbs and on PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism of the CP IC-RT-PCR product with Rsa1 and Alu1 (1). This is the first report of PPV in North America. References: (1) T. Candresse et al. Phytopathology 88:198, 1998. (2) L. Levy and A. Hadidi. EPPO Bull. 24:595, 1994.


Plant Disease ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 96 (8) ◽  
pp. 1225-1225 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. S. Schubert ◽  
M. M. Dewdney ◽  
N. A. Peres ◽  
M. E. Palm ◽  
A. Jeyaprakash ◽  
...  

In March 2010, citrus black spot symptoms were observed on sweet orange trees in a grove near Immokalee, FL. Symptoms observed on fruit included hard spot, cracked spot, and early virulent spot. Hard spot lesions were up to 5 mm, depressed with a chocolate margin and a necrotic, tan center, often with black pycnidia (140 to 200 μm) present. Cracked spot lesions were large (15 mm), dark brown, with diffuse margins and raised cracks. In some cases, hard spots formed in the center of lesions. Early virulent spot lesions were small (up to 7 mm long), bright red, irregular, indented, and often with many pycnidia. In addition, small (2 to 3 mm), elliptical, reddish brown leaf lesions with depressed tan centers were observed on some trees with symptomatic fruit. Chlorotic halos appeared as they aged. Most leaves had single lesions, occasionally up to four per leaf. Tissue pieces from hard spots and early virulent spots were placed aseptically on potato dextrose agar (PDA), oatmeal agar, or carrot agar and incubated with 12 h of light and dark at 24°C. Cultures that grew colonies within a week were discarded. Fourteen single-spore cultures were obtained from the isolates that grew slower than the Guignardia mangiferae reference cultures, although pycnidia formed more rapidly in the G. mangiferae cultures (1). No sexual structures were observed. Cultures on half-PDA were black and cordlike with irregular margins with numerous pycnidia, often bearing white cirrhi after 14 days. Conidia (7.1 to 7.8 × 10.3 to 11.8 μm) were hyaline, aseptate, multiguttulate, ovoid with a flattened base surrounded by a hyaline matrix (0.4 to 0.6 μm) and a hyaline appendage on the rounded apex, corresponding to published descriptions of G. citricarpa (anomorph Phyllosticta citricarpa) (1). A yellow pigment was seen in oatmeal agar surrounding G. citricarpa, but not G. mangiferae colonies as previously reported (1,2). DNA was extracted from lesions and cultures and amplified with species-specific primers (2). DNA was also extracted from G. mangiferae and healthy citrus fruit. The G. citricarpa-specific primers produced a 300-bp band from fruit lesions and pure cultures. G. mangiferae-specific primers produced 290-bp bands with DNA from G. mangiferae cultures. The internally transcribed spacer (ITS) of the rRNA gene, translation-elongation factor (TEF), and actin gene regions were sequenced from G. citricarpa isolates and deposited in GenBank. These sequences had 100% homology with G. citricarpa ITS sequences from South Africa and Brazil, 100% homology with TEF, and 99% homology with actin of a Brazilian isolate. Pathogenicity tests with G. citricarpa were not done because the organism infects immature fruit and has an incubation period of at least 6 months (3). In addition, quarantine restrictions limit work with the organism outside a contained facility. To our knowledge, this is the first report of black spot in North America. The initial infested area was ~57 km2. The disease is of great importance to the Florida citrus industry because it causes serious blemishes and significant yield reduction, especially on the most commonly grown ‘Valencia’ sweet orange. Also, the presence of the disease in Florida may affect market access because G. citricarpa is considered a quarantine pathogen by the United States and internationally. References: (1) R. P. Baayen et al. Phytopathology 92:464, 2002. (2) N. A. Peres et al. Plant Dis. 91:525, 2007 (3) R. F. Reis et al. Fitopath Bras. 31:29, 2006.


Plant Disease ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 90 (4) ◽  
pp. 526-526 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Bananej ◽  
C. Desbiez ◽  
C. Wipf-Scheibel ◽  
I. Vahdat ◽  
A. Kheyr-Pour ◽  
...  

A survey was conducted from 2001 to 2004 in the major cucurbit-growing areas in Iran to reassess the relative incidence of cucurbit viruses. Severe yellowing symptoms were observed frequently on older leaves of cucurbit plants in various regions in outdoor crops, suggesting the presence of Cucurbit aphid-borne yellows virus (CABYV, genus Polerovirus, family Luteoviridae) (1,2). Leaf samples (n = 1019) were collected from plants of melon (Cucumis melo L.), cucumber (C. sativus L.), squash (Cucurbita sp.), and watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.) showing various virus-like symptoms (mosaic, leaf deformation, yellowing). All samples, collected from 15 provinces, were screened for the presence of CABYV by double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA) with IgGs and alkaline phosphatase-conjugated IgGs against a CABYV reference isolate (1). Of the 1,019 samples tested, 471 were positive for CABYV using DAS-ELISA. Some of the positive samples had typical severe yellowing symptoms while symptoms in other samples were masked by mosaic or leaf deformations caused by other viruses frequently found in mixed infections (data not shown). During the entire survey, CABYV was detected by DAS-ELISA in 201 of 503 melon samples, 72 of 129 cucumber samples, 158 of 249 squash samples, and 40 of 138 watermelon samples. These results indicate that CABYV is widely distributed on four cucurbit species in the major growing areas of Iran. In order to confirm CABYV identification, total RNA extracts (TRI-Reagent, Sigma Chemical, St Louis, MO) were obtained from 25 samples that were positive using DAS-ELISA originating from Khorasan (n = 4), Esfahan (n = 6), Teheran (n = 3), Hormozgan (n = 4), Azerbaiejan-E-Sharqi (n = 4), and Kerman (n = 4). Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCR) were carried out using forward (5′-CGCGTGGTTGTGG-TCAACCC-3′) and reverse (5′-CCYGCAACCGAGGAAGATCC-3′) primers designed in conserved regions of the coat protein gene according to the sequence of a CABYV reference isolate (3) and three other unpublished CABYV sequences. RT-PCR experiments yielded an expected 479-bp product similar to the fragment amplified with extracts from the reference isolate. No amplification of the product occurred from healthy plant extracts. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the occurrence of CABYV in Iran on various cucurbit species. The high frequency (46.2%) with which CABYV was detected in the samples assayed indicates that this virus is one of the most common virus infecting cucurbits in Iran. References: (1) H. Lecoq et al. Plant Pathol. 41:749, 1992 (2) M. A. Mayo and C. J. D'Arcy. Page 15 in: The Luteoviridae. H. G. Smith and H. Barker, eds. CAB International Mycological Institute, Wallingford, UK, 1999. (3) H. Guilley et al. Virology 202:1012, 1994.


Plant Disease ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Sabra ◽  
Mohammed Ali Al Saleh ◽  
I. M. Alshahwan ◽  
Mahmoud A. Amer

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is the most economically important member of family Solanaceae and cultivated worldwide and one of the most important crops in Saudi Arabia. The aim of this study is screening of the most common viruses in Riyadh region and identified the presence of tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) in Saudi Arabia. In January 2021, unusual fruit and leaf symptoms were observed in several greenhouses cultivating tomatoes commercially in Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia. Fruit symptoms showed irregular brown spots, deformation, and yellowing spots which render the fruits non-marketable, while the leaf symptoms included mottling, mosaic with dark green wrinkled and narrowing. These plants presented the symptoms similar to those described in other studies (Salem et al., 2015, Luria et al., 2017). A total 45 Symptomatic leaf samples were collected and tested serologically against suspected important tomato viruses including: tomato chlorosis virus, tomato spotted wilt virus, tomato yellow leaf curl virus, tomato chlorotic spot virus, tomato aspermy virus, tomato bushy stunt virus, tomato black ring virus, tomato ringspot virus, tomato mosaic virus, pepino mosaic virus and ToBRFV using Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test (LOEWE®, Biochemica, Germany), according to the manufacturers' instructions. The obtained results showed that 84.4% (38/45) of symptomatic tomato samples were infected with at least one of the detected viruses. The obtained results showed that 55.5% (25/45) of symptomatic tomato samples were found positive to ToBRFV, three out of 25 samples (12%) were singly infected, however 22 out of 45 (48.8%) had mixed infection between ToBRFV and with at least one of tested viruses. A sample with a single infection of ToBRFV was mechanically inoculated into different host range including: Chenopodium amaranticolor, C. quinoa, C. album, C. glaucum, Nicotiana glutinosa, N. benthamiana, N. tabacum, N. occidentalis, Gomphrena globosa, Datura stramonium, Solanum lycopersicum, S. nigrum, petunia hybrida and symptoms were observed weekly and the systemic presence of the ToBRFV was confirmed by RT-PCR and partial nucleotide sequence. A Total RNA was extracted from DAS-ELISA positive samples using Thermo Scientific GeneJET Plant RNA Purification Mini Kit. Reverse transcription-Polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was carried out using specific primers F-3666 (5´-ATGGTACGAACGGCGGCAG-3´) and R-4718 (5´-CAATCCTTGATGTG TTTAGCAC-3´) which amplified a fragment of 1052 bp of Open Reading Frame (ORF) encoding the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). (Luria et al. 2017). RT-PCR products were analyzed using 1.5 % agarose gel electrophoresis. RT-PCR products were sequenced in both directions by Macrogen Inc. Seoul, South Korea. Partial nucleotide sequences obtained from selected samples were submitted to GenBank and assigned the following accession numbers: MZ130501, MZ130502, and MZ130503. BLAST analysis of Saudi isolates of ToBRFV showed that the sequence shared nucleotide identities ranged between 98.99 % to 99.50 % among them and 98.87-99.87 % identity with ToBRFV isolates from Palestine (MK881101 and MN013187), Turkey (MK888980, MT118666, MN065184, and MT107885), United Kingdom (MN182533), Egypt (MN882030 and MN882031), Jordan (KT383474), USA (MT002973), Mexico (MK273183 and MK273190), Canada (MN549395) and Netherlands (MN882017, MN882018, MN882042, MN882023, MN882024, and MN882045). To our knowledge, this is the first report of occurrence of ToBRFV infecting tomato in Saudi Arabia which suggests its likely introduction by commercial seeds from countries reported this virus and spread in greenhouses through mechanical means. The author(s) declare no conflict of interest. Keywords: Tomato brown rugose fruit virus, tomato, ELISA, RT-PCR, Saudi Arabia References: Luria N, et al., 2017. PLoS ONE 12(1): 1-19. Salem N, et al., 2015. Archives of Virology 161(2): 503-506. Fig. 1. Symptoms caused by ToBRFV showing irregular brown spots, deformation, yellowing spots on fruits (A, B, C) and bubbling and mottling, mosaic with dark green wrinkled and narrowing on leaf (D).


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