Abstract
Cassava mosaic disease caused by the whitefly-transmitted begomoviruses (family Geminiviridae) is a major threat to cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) production, which can be intercropped with other plants such as pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). The aim of this study is to identify cassava begomoviruses on other crops in cassava intercropping systems. Thus, foliar samples showing typical symptoms of virus diseases in cassava intercropping systems were collected from pepper and submitted to PCR analysis and direct sequencing. Three begomovirus species ACMV, EACMV and ALCCMV were identified and characterized in samples. Isolates of these species shared respectively 90% - 93%, 74% and 80% nucleotide identities with begomoviruses. These findings show that cassava begomoviruses can infect other crops and will help in understanding the epidemiology related to whitefly-transmitted begomoviruses in cassava intercropping systems.
Highlights
The most damaging and economically important diseases of crops, especially in tropical and subtropical regions are caused by the whitefly-transmitted begomoviruses
Detection of cassava mosaic begomoviruses (CMBs) in samples was performed by PCR amplification using three sets of specific primers targeting the coat protein (Table 1): JSP001/JSP002, JSP001/JSP003 and JSP012/JSP013 allow to identify respectively African cassava mosaic virus (ACMV), East African cassava mosaic virus (EACMV) and Indian cassava mosaic virus (ICMV) [12]
PCR products with the expected size were amplified from collected samples with primers JSP001/JSP003 and AC1048/AV494 confirming the association of begomovirus with symptoms
Summary
The most damaging and economically important diseases of crops, especially in tropical and subtropical regions are caused by the whitefly-transmitted begomoviruses. They have emerged everywhere in the world where environmental conditions support large whitefly (Bemisia tabaci Genn.) populations and in Western Africa, emergence of begomoviruses is caused by genetically distinct species that have evolved locally [3] [4]
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