Sap transmission of Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus infecting sponge gourd in northern India

Abstract

Sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica) is an important vegetable crop cultivated throughout India. The crop was severely affected by begomovirus disease with yellow mosaic symptoms. The virus can be transmitted by sap inoculation to sponge gourd, ridge gourd (L. acutangula), and Nicotiana benthamiana using standardized buffer. The authors have identified various factors for efficient sap transmission of begomovirus. The rate of sap transmission increased was significantly higher with addition to Sodium sulphite, β-mercaptoethanol, Celite, and Corborundum powder in inoculum. The percentage of infected plants varied from different factors like buffer combinations, source of inoculum, age of inoculum, genotypes of test plants, and species of plants, temperature, seasons, and organic materials. The sap transmission of begomovirus was confirmed by Coat protein gene amplification, cloning, and sequencing from sap inoculated plants. This is the first report of sap transmission of begomovirus causing yellow mosaic disease in sponge gourd in northern India. © 2012 Taylor & Francis.