Authors
H. P. Trenado and
G. Lozano, Estacion Experimental “La Mayora”, CSIC, 29750 Algarrobo-Costa, Malaga, Spain;
R. A. Valverde, Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, 70803; and
J. Navas-Castillo, Estacion Experimental “La Mayora”, CSIC, 29750 Algarrobo-Costa, Malaga, Spain
Sweet potato feathery mottle virus (SPFMV), Sweet potato virus G (SPVG), and Sweet potato virus 2 (SPV2) (also known as Ipomoea vein mosaic virus (2) and Sweet potato virus Y) are members of the genus Potyvirus (family Potyviridae), which can synergistically interact with Sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus (SPCSV; genus Crinivirus, family Closteroviridae), increasing symptom severity on sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) (1,2,3). During 2002, 2006, and 2007, vine cuttings from sweet potato plants were collected in Malaga (southern Spain), Tenerife, and Lanzarote (Canary Islands, Spain) to be tested for the presence of viruses. Sampled plants ranged from asymptomatic to severely affected by symptoms of sweet potato virus disease (SPVD), caused by dual infection with SPFMV or other potyviruses with SPCSV. Scions collected during 2002 were grafted to the indicator host I. setosa. Foliar samples from I. setosa were used for nitrocellulose membrane (NCM)-ELISA testing with antisera specific to SPVG or SPV2 (provided by C. A. Clark, Louisiana State University) following described procedures (2). NCM-ELISA testing indicated that SPVG was present in samples from Malaga, Tenerife, and Lanzarote, whereas SPV2 was only found in samples from Malaga. Reverse-transcription (RT)-PCR was performed on RNA extracts from sweet potato or I. setosa leaves using primer pairs MA541 (5′-AACAATTCCAGATAGTAGAGGGGTTG-3′)/MA542(5′-TGTGGGGACAGCATGATCCAATAG-3′) and MA540 (5′-AACCCCAACACCAGCAAAATCAGTTAAG-3′)/MA542 corresponding to the capsid protein (CP) genes of SPVG and SPV2, respectively. Thirteen of 47 samples from Malaga and 4 of 30 from the Canary Islands yielded the expected 483-bp DNA fragment with the primers for SPVG. Fifteen of 47 samples from Malaga yielded the expected 627-bp DNA fragment with primers for SPV2. Two RT-PCR amplicons of SPVG, one from Malaga and one from Tenerife, were sequenced. Their nucleotide sequences (GenBank Accession Nos. EF577438 and EF577439, respectively) showed 98% identity to SPVG isolates from Louisiana (2) and China. Sequencing of one RT-PCR amplicon of SPV2 from Malaga resulted in a nucleotide sequence (GenBank Accession No. EF577437) with 99% identity to SPV2 from Lousiana and Australia (3). The presence of SPVG and SPV2 increases the already existing risk of SPVD, since the main viruses involved in the synergism, SPFMV and SPCSV, are present in Spain (4). SPCSV was also detected in some of the plants infected with SPVG or SPV2, in some cases, in coinfection with SPFMV.
References: (1) C. D. Kokkinos and C. A. Clark. Plant Dis. 90:1347, 2006. (2) E. R. Souto et al. Plant Dis. 87:1226, 2003. (3) F. Tairo et al. Plant Dis. 90:1120, 2006. (4) R. A. Valverde et al. Plant Dis. 88:428, 2004.
