Abstract
This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of viruses, viz Banana streak Obino l’ewai virus (BSOLV), Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Banana mild mosaic virus (BanMMV) and Banana bract mosaic virus (BBrMV) causing serious diseases on plantain in Cote d'Ivoire. From April 2010 to July 2010 and June 2011 to August 2011, 103 farmers' plots located in 13 important plantain productions regions were screened. In all, 424 samples having symptoms of yellow or moderate chlorotic streaks were analyzed by reverse transcriptase-PCR and by immunocapture-PCR. Viruses identified were BSOLV, BanMMV and CMV respectively in proportions of 78%, 63% and 5.4% of the samples analyzed. Mixed infections of these three viruses were found in the 13 regions while CMV was present only in 3 regions. None of the samples collected were infected by BBrMV. Infected suckers used by farmers to establish their banana field could be the cause of these viral infections. The results showed that 9% of symptomatic samples were not associated with the presence of one or the other of the viruses studied. Further study is required to identify reported viruses in banana and plantain across the world. Key words: Plantain, farming modes, viruses, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), immunocapture polymerase chain reaction (IC-PCR), Cote d’Ivoire.
Highlights
Plantain is a staple food for millions of people in many countries of West and Central Africa and an important source of income for producers (Lescot and Ganry, 2010)
This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of viruses, viz Banana streak Obino l’ewai virus (BSOLV), Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Banana mild mosaic virus (BanMMV) and Banana bract mosaic virus (BBrMV) causing serious diseases on plantain in Cote d'Ivoire
The results of the molecular tests carried out on symptomatic samples of plantain collected in 2010-2011 in Cote d‟Ivoire have shown that these plants are infected by three viruses over the four tested
Summary
Plantain is a staple food for millions of people in many countries of West and Central Africa and an important source of income for producers (Lescot and Ganry, 2010). According to FAO (2012), plantain is the third food crop produced in Cote d‟Ivoire after yam and cassava. Originally grown around homes, plantain has, for decades, greatly expanded because of its association with food and/or industrial crops (Traore et al, 2009). Viral diseases play a destructive role reducing the levels of production and the quality of products in both industrial and village plantations and limiting the exchanges of germplasm for improvement programs (Geering, 2007). The symptoms caused by BBTV on banana, consisting of a marginal chlorosis and bunching of leaves at the top of the pseudostem, forming a rosette with a “bunchy top” appearance are very characteristic (Su et al, 2003). For the other viruses the visual diagnosis is not enough because the symptoms are not specific (Iskra-Caruana et al, 2008)
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