Pineapple mealybug wilt-associated viruses 1, 2, and 3 are associated with mealybug wilt disease of pineapple in Peru

Abstract

Mealybug wilt of pineapple (MWP) is the most important disease of pineapple worldwide. During the months of September and November 2020, pineapple production fields of the cultivar Hawaiiana and hybrid MD-2 in Satipo and Chanchamayo provinces of Peru, showed typical symptoms of MWP. Based on symptoms, the disease incidence level ranged between 70 and 90%. Symptomatic and asymptomatic foliar samples were collected and tested by RT-PCR using primers specific for pineapple mealybug wilt virus (PMWaV) 1, 2, and 3. Selected amplified fragments were sequenced and analyzed with bioinformatics tools. PMWaV-1, 2, and 3 were detected in symptomatic samples of both cultivars but not in asymptomatic samples. PMWaV-1 showed a nucleotide identity of 91.70% with PMWaV-1 from Thailand; PMWaV-2, 99.81% with PMWaV-2 from Thailand; and PMWaV-3, 99.09% with PMWaV-3 from Cuba. Mixed infections of PMWaV-1, 2, and 3 were also detected in both cultivars. To our knowledge, this is the first report of PMWaV-1, 2, and 3, associated with pineapple in Peru.