A multi-year survey and identification of pepper- and tomato-infecting viruses in the Yunnan Province, China

Authors: LI, YUEYUE - Yunnan Agricultural University; TAN, GUANLIN - Yunnan Agricultural University; XIAO, LONG - Yunnan Agricultural University; ZHOU, WENPENG - Yunnan Agricultural University; LAN, PINGXIU - Yunnan Agricultural University; CHEN, XIAOJIAO - Yunnan Agricultural University; LIU, YONG - Yunnan Agricultural University; Li, Ruhui; LI, FAN - Yunnan Agricultural University

Submitted to: Frontiers in Microbiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/25/2021
Publication Date: 2/26/2021
Citation: Li, Y., Tan, G., Xiao, L., Zhou, W., Lan, P., Chen, X., Liu, Y., Li, R., Li, F. 2021. A multi-year survey and identification of pepper- and tomato-infecting viruses in the Yunnan Province, China. Plant Disease. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.623875.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.623875

Interpretive Summary: Pepper and tomato are economically important solanaceous vegetables in Yunnan Province, China. In recent years, outbreaks of virus diseases occur more frequently in the solanaceous crops as planting areas and cultivars increase, resulting in serious yield losses. In this study, a large-scale survey of virus diseases on solanaceous vegetables was carried out in major growth regions of the province. Results showed that virus infections were common in most regions, with 19 viruses were detected in 647 (50.3%; 428 pepper and 219 tomato) of 1,286 samples (821 pepper, 446 tomato and19 eggplants) in 12 growth regions. Mixed infections, especially infections of two viruses, were common among the infected plants (13.9%). Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) was predominant in both pepper (20.6%) and tomato (19.1%), while the infection rate of pepper vein yellows virus (PeVYV) was high (12.8%) in pepper. The detection rates of TSWV gradually decreased, whereas PeVYV went up. Two known viruses were detected in the crops for the first time in the world, and another two were detected in the province for the first time. The results also showed that population compositions were different among the regions. This study confirmed the viruses were major pathogens of the diseases of the solanaceous vegetables in Yunnan, and the information will be used to develop better strategies for sustainable production of these crops.

Technical Abstract: During April 2013 to April 2017, a large-scale viral disease survey was conducted on major solanaceous vegetables in 19 Yunnan province of China. A total of 1,267 pepper and tomato samples with various virus-like symptoms were collected 20 from twelve major production regions and analyzed by dot-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Dot-ELISA) and 21 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or reverse-transcription (RT)-PCR. Nineteen viruses were detected with a detection rate 22 of 50.9%, among which seven species were present in both pepper and tomato plants. Mixed infections were common with 23 15 and 10 mixed infection types detected in pepper and tomato, respectively. Tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus (TSWV) 24 was the most dominant virus with a detection rate of 20.0%, followed by Pepper vein yellows virus (PeVYV, 13.0%). This survey firstly revealed that pepper and tomato are the natural hosts of Tobacco vein distorting virus (TVDV) and Potato 26 leafroll virus (PLRV), respectively. This is also the first report of PeVYV, Tobacco mild green mosaic virus (TMGMV) 27 and Wild tomato mosaic virus (WTMV) on pepper, Tomato mottle mosaic virus (ToMMV) and Chilli veinal mottle virus 28 (ChiVMV) on tomato in Yunnan. Finally, our results also indicate that the virus incidences were higher in Kunming, Yuxi, 29 Chuxiong, and Honghe than other regions.