Detection of Badnavirus in pineapple in northeastern Brazil

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Brazil is one of the main global producers of pineapple (Ananas comosus L. Merril), with emphasis in the Northeastern region of the country. Pineapple is exposed to several phytosanitary problems, including viruses. Pineapple badnaviruses are caused by two distinct species: Pineapple bacilliform CO virus (PBCoV) and Pineapple bacilliform ER virus (PBErV). The present study aimed to detect possible species of the genus Badnavirus in pineapple samples in Northeastern Brazil, via PCR and sequencing of the RT/RNaseH region. Leaf samples of pineapples were collected in the states of Alagoas, Maranhão, Paraiba and Pernambuco, and subsequently subjected to total DNA extraction and amplification via PCR. Badnavirus positive samples were selected for sequencing. Analysis of pairwise comparisons revealed that all sequences obtained in this work showed an identity greater than 80% with the sequence of the species PBCoV (EU377664), from Australia, fully corroborating with phylogenetic analyzes. These results suggest the widespread of PBCoV in Northeastern Brazil and record the first report of Badnavirus in pineapple culture in Brazil. KEYWORDS: Caulimoviridae, Ananas comosus, molecular analysis.