Author(s):

Bohra Yogita, Brakta Ajay, Handa Anil and Thakur PD

Abstract: Viral diseases rank second only after fungal diseases in terms of implicit monetary losses. Amongst emerging plant diseases around 47 percent are of viral aetiology. Historically, considerable research and emphasis have been put on the interaction between virus, host and their vectors. However, the study on weed reservoirs that significantly impacts viral epidemiology has been largely overlooked. Weeds harbouring viral vectors are not only the potential source of primary inoculum but also the source for secondary spread. More notably, the asymptomatic weeds with latent infection go unnoticed in the field and silently pose a bigger threat by contributing to the persistence of viral diseases. Incidentally, Tospo viruses that are ranked amongst most destructive plant viruses worldwide have a profound role of weed hosts in their persistence and spread. In recent years, bell pepper crop is reported to be infected by a novel tospo virus species i.e Capsicum chlorosis virus (CaCV) causing losses even up to 81 percent and the fact that CaCV is exclusively transmitted by thrips in a non-transovarial manner, the presence of ringspot symptoms at early stages of crop indicated the possibility of nearby reservoir hosts. This study aims at rapid detection of possible weed reservoirs on the basis of serological assay of associated virus via DAS-ELISA targeting the nucleocapsid (N) protein.

Pages: 2013-2017  |  850 Views  205 Downloads

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