Submitted to: Phytopathology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: June 1, 2001
Publication Date: August 25, 2001
Citation: Huang, Q., Hartung, J.S. 2001. Host range and PCR detection of citrus yellow mosaic virus. Phytopathology. Technical Abstract: Citrus yellow mosaic virus (CYMV) causes yellow mosaic disease of citrus in India. CYMV belongs to the new Badnavirus genus because of its nonenveloped bacilliform particle and double-stranded DNA genome. CYMV infects 14 citrus species and cultivars including sweet orange and pummelo by grafting and dodder transmission. We have cloned an isolate of CYMV and determined its 7559 bp nucleotide sequence. We have also demonstrated that a construct containing 1.4 copies of the cloned CYMV genome is infectious in sweet orange via Agrobacterium-mediated inoculation. We are in the process of testing whether CYMV could infect plant species other than citrus by mechanical as well as by Agrobacterium-mediated inoculation. Plants being tested include tobacco and Chenopodium. We are also using the sequence information to design primers specific to CYMV for a potential diagnostic PCR assay in citrus plants for quarantine purposes. These studies are important steps toward a better understanding of this exotic plant pathogen in order to control and prevent the disease it causes in India from becoming established in other parts of the world.