Research Article

**Characterization and Identification of a Potyvirus Causing Mosaic Disease of Cucurbita moschata Duch Ex. Poir in Calabar, South East Nigeria**

A.T. Owolabi, F. Rabenstein, M.A. Taiwo, F. Ehrigh and E. Maiss

A virus inducing mosaic, green vein-banding and leaf formation in Cucurbita moschata was isolated during the 2005-2006 growing season in Calabar, Nigeria. It was characterized based on host range, transmission studies, cytopathology, electron microscopy combined with Immunosorbent Assay (ISEM), serology and coat protein gene sequencing. The virus host range was restricted to Cucurbitaceae and Solanaceae families. There was no evidence of seed transmission. However, the virus was transmitted by Aphis gossypii, A. spiraecola, Myzus persicae and Toxoptera citricida in a fore-gut (non-persistent manner) but not by A. craccivora and Macrosiphon euphorbiae. The virus had flexuous rods of about 750 nm in length and induced pinwheels, tubes and laminated aggregates characteristic of the genus Potyvirus (Family Potyviridae). The Coat Protein (CP) has a molecular weight of 32.5 kDa as determined by Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), followed by Western blotting. Serologically, the virus failed to react with several putative potyviruses in Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISAs) but weakly decorated by antisera to Papaya Ringspot Virus (PRSV) and Moroccan Watermelon Mosaic Virus (MWMV) in ISEM tests and showed 66% CP sequence homology when compared to that of MWMV. These data suggest that the virus is distinct from both PRSV and MWMV and other potyviruses commonly infecting cucurbits. This is the first report of a potyvirus naturally infecting C. moschata in Nigeria. From the result of this study, it seems that the virus is novel in Nigeria and considered distinct from other commonly infecting cucurbit infecting viruses, for which the name Cucurbita mosaic virus has been suggested.

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A.T. Owolabi, F. Rabenstein, M.A. Taiwo, F. Ehrigh and E. Maiss, 2011. Characterization and Identification of a Potyvirus Causing Mosaic Disease of Cucurbita moschata Duch Ex. Poir in Calabar, South East Nigeria. International Journal of Plant Pathology, 2: 165-176.

DOI: 10.3923/ijpp.2011.165.176

URL: https://scialert.net/abstract/?doi=ijpp.2011.165.176

International Journal of Plant Pathology

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Authors

A.T. Owolabi

F. Rabenstein

M.A. Taiwo

F. Ehrigh

E. Maiss

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Research Article

**Characterization and Identification of a Potyvirus Causing Mosaic Disease of Cucurbita moschata Duch Ex. Poir in Calabar, South East Nigeria**

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