Effect of Screen House on Disease Severity and Coat Protein Diversity of Begomovirus-infected Capsicum frutescens L. ‘Cempluk’ from Indonesia

Chili can be infected by Begomovirus through whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci) serving as a vector insect. Begomovirus infection causes dwarf plants and yellow curly leaves. The molecular detection of Begomovirus coat protein gene may serve as a preliminary identification of Begomovirus. This study was conducted to observe the differences in the symptom severity of Begomovirus infection in chilies (Capsicum frutescens L. ‘Cempluk’) planted inside and outside a screen house. This study also observed whether or not using a screen house in chili farming affects the diversity of the coat protein of Begomovirus. Symptom observation and sampling were conducted in Madurejo, Prambanan, Sleman. Molecular detection was performed by amplifying the coat protein (CP) gene using the universal primer Krusty and Homer. Results showed 7 plant samples with DNA bands ± 550 bp and confirmed that the plants were positively infected with Begomovirus. The amplified bands were purified and sequenced. The nucleotide sequences were analyzed using BLASTn, followed by phylogenetic analysis using MEGA. Planting chili in the screen house resulted in low disease severity and good crop conditions. The coat protein sequence showed different strains of Begomovirus infected the chili plants inside and outside the screen house. Pepper yellow leaf curl Indonesia virus (PepYLCIV) was found inside the screen house while PepYLCIV [Ageratum] was dominant outside the screen house. Both strains are closely related to other Pepper yellow leaf curl virus (PepYLCV) from various regions in Indonesia. Optical manipulation using an ultraviolet screen or screen house was effective in reducing Begomovirus infection and improving plant performance.

FIRST REPORT OF Begomovirus INFECTION ON PAPAYA IN BENGKULU, INDONESIA

A field survey was conducted during 2019, we found a severe systemic yellow mosaic, striped green mosaic on leaves petiole, green spots on the fruit of papaya, leaf malformation, and stunting symptoms on three papaya cultivation area in Rejang Lebong, Kepahiang, Bengkulu Tengah, and Seluma, Bengkulu Province, Indonesia. A begomo-like virus was inferred to be the possible cause of the virus-disease-like symptoms. The study aimed to identify the causal of those typical symptoms on papaya. PCR using universal primer for transcriptional activator protein (TrAp) and replication-associated protein (Rep) gene of Begomovirus successfully amplified the DNA fragments of 900 bp in all 10 detected samples, except for samples with leaf malformation and stunting symptoms. It is indicating that those typical symptoms on papaya is associated with Begomovirus infection, while the causal of leaf malformation and stunting is unknown yet. This work is the first report of Begomovirus infected papaya in Indonesia. Severe disease incidence caused by this pathogen was observed on papaya plants in Bengkulu Province that was in the range of 42–100%. This finding is a precious information to be used for identification, and characterization the species of the virus, determining control strategies against the disease.

FIRST REPORT OF Begomovirus INFECTION ON PAPAYA IN BENGKULU, INDONESIA

First report of Begomovirus infection on papaya in Bengkulu, Indonesia. A field survey was conducted during 2019, wefound a severe systemic yellow mosaic, striped green mosaic on leaves petiole, green spots on the fruit of papaya, leafmalformation, and stunting symptoms on three papaya cultivation area in Rejang Lebong, Kepahiang, Bengkulu Tengah, andSeluma, Bengkulu Province, Indonesia. A begomo-like virus was inferred to be the possible cause of the virus-disease-likesymptoms. The study aimed to identify the causal of those typical symptoms on papaya. PCR using universal primer fortranscriptional activator protein (TrAp) and replication-associated protein (Rep) gene of Begomovirus successfully amplifiedthe DNA fragments of 900 bp in all 10 detected samples, except for samples with leaf malformation and stunting symptoms. Itis indicating that those typical symptoms on papaya is associated with Begomovirus infection, while the causal of leafmalformation and stunting is unknown yet. This work is the first report of Begomovirus infected papaya in Indonesia. Severedisease incidence caused by this pathogen was observed on papaya plants in Bengkulu Province that was in the range of 42–100%. This finding is a precious information to be used for identification, and characterization the species of the virus,determining control strategies against the disease.

Estimation of Genetic Parameters of Cayenne Peppers (Capsicum Annuum L.) from IPB University for Its Resistance Against Begomoviruses in Aceh

The productivity of pepper plants is strongly influenced by climatic and weather conditions as well as pests and diseases. One of the major losses in chili farming is the pest attack, such as whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci Genn.), a virus vector. Evaluation of the resistance of pepper plant germplasm against Begomovirus infection needs to be carried out, evaluate genetic diversity, estimate heritability values, and obtain a selection character for the resistance of chili plants Begomovirus. This research was conducted at Experimental Garden, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Syiah Kuala, and the Laboratory of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Syiah Kuala from January to May 2020. Three varieties Gada, Anies and Selekta with seven test genotypes i.e F6 Gada, Seloka 4-10-2-2, F5136074-1-4-3, F5074136-2-3-2, F5074035-2-1-2, F5074035-2-4-2, F5074077-1-1-3 were screened for their resistance against Begomovirus. This study was designed using a non-factorial Randomized Block Design (RBD) and scoring parameter Begomovirus symptom. Tukey’s HSD, the standard deviation of genetic variance, heritability, and correlation were performed to analyze the data. The lowest disease intensity occurred in genotype F6 Gada with a percentage of 12.08% disease intensity (slightly resistant), and the highest level of disease intensity occurred in F5074035-2-4-2 with a percentage of 30.94% (susceptible). Variables symptom scoring, disease intensity, and incubation period were the most effective variables for selecting pepper resistance against Begomovirus infection based on broad-sense heritability values.