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Transmission of Activated-Episomal Banana streak OL (badna)virus (BSOLV) to cv. Williams Banana (Musa sp.) by Three Mealybug Species

Four different mealybug species (Dysmicoccus brevipes, Planococcus citri, P. ficus, and Pseudococcus longispinus) were evaluated for their ability to transmit putative activated-episomal Banana streak OL (badna)virus (BSOLV) to banana cv. Williams (Cavendish subgroup, AAA). Expressible endogenous sequences of banana streak viruses (BSVs) have been reported to be present in the DNA of various Musa hybrids, including FHIA-21 (AAAB). To obtain activated episomal BSOLV for this experimental transmission study, intentional stress by tissue culture propagation was applied to indexed FHIA-21 which, while free of other viruses, can contain activated episomal BSOLV. Immunocapture polymerase chain reaction and triple-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results revealed that 13.4% of the derived progeny of the mother plants were infected with episomal BSOLV. Four of these BSOLV-infected progeny were used as sources of episomal virus for transmission studies. D. brevipes, Planococcus citri, and P. ficus mealybugs were able to transmit the putative activated episomal BSOLV. Control plants for the transmission experiments included FHIA-21 corms with no background history of tissue culture, as well as virus-free Williams plants. Episomal Banana streak GF (badna)virus (BSGFV) was transmitted from asymptomatic corm-derived FHIA-21 plants by P. citri and P. ficus. This is the first report of P. ficus as a vector of BSVs.