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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » National Germplasm Resources Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #360331
Research Project: Characterizing and Detecting Pathogens to Ensure Safe Exchange of Plant Germplasm

Location: National Germplasm Resources Laboratory

Title: A new tymovirus isolated from Solanum quitoense: characterization and prevalence in two solanaceous crops in Ecuador

Author
item CORNEJO-FRANCE, JUAN - Centro De Investigaciones Biotecnologicas Del Ecuador
item ALVAREZ-QUITO, ROBERT - University Of Minnesota
item Grinstead, Sam
item Mollov, Dimitre
item KARASEV, ALEXANDER - University Of Idaho
item OCHOA, JOSE - Centro De Investigaciones Biotecnologicas Del Ecuador
item QUITO-AVILA, DIEGO - Centro De Investigaciones Biotecnologicas Del Ecuador

Submitted to: Plant Disease
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/27/2019
Publication Date: 3/29/2019
Citation: Cornejo-France, J., Alvarez-Quito, R., Grinstead, S.C., Mollov, D.S., Karasev, A., Ochoa, J., Quito-Avila, D. 2019. A new tymovirus isolated from Solanum quitoense: characterization and prevalence in two solanaceous crops in Ecuador. Plant Disease. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-01-19-0113-RE.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-01-19-0113-RE

Interpretive Summary: Naranjilla is a perennial shrub cultivated in the Andes for fresh fruit and juice production. Naranjilla plants in Ecuador were observed with virus-like symptoms. High throughput sequencing analysis revealed a new virus associated with the symptoms. Inoculated naranjilla plants developed mild symptoms while tamarillo exhibited more severe symptoms. The complete genomic sequence of this virus, named naranjilla mild mosaic virus (NarMMV) was determined. Based on genome sequence comparisons to known viruses, NarMMV was characterized as new virus of the genus Tymovirus, in the family Tymoviridae. The NarMMV genome sequence facilitates developing detection methods, and subsequently control measures, for this newly described virus. This information will be useful to growers and regulatory agencies.

Technical Abstract: Naranjilla (Solanum quitoense Lam.) and tamarillo (Solanum betaceum Cav.) are two important perennial solanaceous crops grown in Ecuador for fresh and juice production. Viruses infecting tamarillo and, especially, naranjilla are currently poorly studied, and no clean stock program exists in the country. Here, we report a new virus, naranjilla mild mosaic virus (NarMMV) (genus Tymovirus, family Tymoviridae) isolated from naranjilla grown in a small orchard in Pichincha province, Ecuador. The complete genome of the virus consists of 6,348 nucleotides and encodes three open reading frames typical for members of the genus Tymovirus. Phylogenetically, Chiltepin yellow mosaic virus, Eggplant mosaic virus and the recently characterized naranjilla chlorotic mosaic virus (NarCMV) were found the closest relatives of NarMMV. Unlike NarCMV, the new virus induced mild mosaic in naranjilla, and more severe symptoms in another solanaceous host, tamarillo. Similarly to NarCMV, NarMMV was unable to systemically infect potato. Virus surveys found NarMMV prevalent in naranjilla production areas of two provinces of Ecuador, especially where hybrid cultivars of naranjilla were used, and also found NarMMV in in field-grown tamarillo. The new virus was found cross-reacting with antibodies developed against NarCMV, providing a useful tool for the diagnosis in the field, but also in future virus-free certification programs using ELISA or immuno-capture RT-PCR.