Abstract

NATURAL OCCURRENCE OF LEAF CURL MOSAIC VIRUS OF JETROPHA IN UTTAR PRADESH OF INDIA

Vikas Kumar* and Rajvir Singh

ABSTRACT

Gemini viruses are a group of plant viruses that contain circular single stranded (ss) DNA genomes encapsidated in small twinned icosahedral capsids. Jatropha has been found to have strong molluscicidal activity and the latex to be strongly inhibitory to watermelon mosaic virus. The surveys were carried out in different parts of Uttar Pradesh to assess the incidence of mosaic virus infecting naturally grown Jatropha plants. The disease incidence was assessed by counting the number of plants infected out of total plants present at each location. The disease incidence was assessed by counting the number of plants infected out of total plants present at each location. The virus culture was established by grafting healthy plants using scions made from naturally infected Jatropha plants. Insect transmission studies were carried out using a healthy colony of B. tabaci maintained on cotton plants. A survey using dot-blot hybridization indicated that squash leaf curl disease occurred in all surveyed areas. The highest disease incidence was recorded in Shamshabad area in Agra district, whereas disease incidence did not exceed 26.34% in samples collected from Panki area in Kanpur district. Investigations on epidemiology and development of specific diagnostic techniques help to develop suitable management strategies to combat the disease, which is likely to become a serious threat for Jatropha cultivation in North India.

Keywords: Gemini viruses, Jetropha, Dot-Blot hybridization.