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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #302720

Title: Detection and occurrence of Melon yellow spot virus in Ecuador: an emergent threat to melon and watermelon production

Author
item QUITO-AVILA, D - Centro De Investigaciones Biotecnologicas Del Ecuador
item PERALTA, E - Centro De Investigaciones Biotecnologicas Del Ecuador
item Martin, Robert
item IBARRA, M - Centro De Investigaciones Biotecnologicas Del Ecuador
item ALVAREZ, R - Centro De Investigaciones Biotecnologicas Del Ecuador
item MENDOZA, A - Centro De Investigaciones Biotecnologicas Del Ecuador
item OCHOA, J - Centro De Investigaciones Biotecnologicas Del Ecuador

Submitted to: European Journal of Plant Pathology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/8/2014
Publication Date: 5/20/2014
Citation: Quito-Avila, D.F., Peralta, E.L., Martin, R.R., Ibarra, M.A., Alvarez, R.A., Mendoza, A., Ochoa, J. 2014. Detection and occurrence of Melon yellow spot virus in Ecuador: an emergent threat to melon and watermelon production. European Journal of Plant Pathology. 140(2):193-197.

Interpretive Summary: This work reports the detection of Melen yellow spot virus (MYSV), a Tospovirus, and Melon endornavirus in Ecuador, which is also the first report of these viruses in the Americas. Previously MYSV was only reported from Asia. The virus spread rapidly in melons with up to 70% infection two months after the plants were placed in the field. The high incidence of this virus is likely associated with increasing thrips populations in the region. Early in the season, there were symptomless plants that tested positive for MYSV, and in many cases symptomatic plants had mixed infections together with Cucumber mosaic virus or Papaya ringspot virus. Squash mosaic virus, Watermelon silver mottle virus, and begomoviruses (a genus specific test was used) were not detected in this study. The impact of the individual viruses in these crops needs to be assessed so that control measures can be targeted to minimize the disease caused in melons and watermelons.

Technical Abstract: Worldwide, more than fifty viruses have been reported in cucurbit crops. In Ecuador, approximately 3000 Ha of watermelon, melon and cucumbers are cultivated annually. However, very few studies have been conducted to identify viruses responsible for important epidemics in this crop in Ecuador. During this study, an extensive sampling of watermelon and melon leaves showing virus-like symptoms revealed the presence of Melon yellow spot virus (MYSV, genus Tospovirus) and Melon endornavirus (MelEV), a recently discovered member of the genus Endornavirus. In watermelon, MYSV was present in 4% of 1-month old symptomless plants, whereas the incidence of the virus at 2-month old symptomatic plants reached 43%. In melon, MYSV was present in 50% of 1 month-old plants showing mild or no symptoms; whereas the incidence by the end of the second month, when symptoms were severe, approached 70%. One hundred percent of melon plants tested positive for MelEV, but the virus was not detected in watermelon. There was no correlation between the presence of the endornavirus and symptom expression on melon leaves. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of MYSV and MelEV in Ecuador and the Americas.