ARS | Publication request: First Report of Pepino Mosaic Virus Infecting Tomato in Mexico

Submitted to: Plant Disease
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: May 20, 2011
Publication Date: July 29, 2011
Citation: Ling, K., Zhang, W. 2011. First Report of Pepino Mosaic Virus Infecting Tomato in Mexico. Plant Disease. 95:1035.

Interpretive Summary: Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) has become one of the most important viruses infecting greenhouse tomatoes in many countries around the world. The present study reported this virus in Mexico for the first time. The virus identified was determined to be a PepMV CH2 genotype. Although the source of initial virus inoculums in Mexico was not determined, it was likely introduced through contaminated seed. The detection of PepMV in Mexico will lessen the trade barrier for the U.S. tomato industry.

Technical Abstract: Pepino mosaic has become endemic greenhouse tomato disease in many countries around the world. Its occurrence in Mexico has yet to be determined. In early spring of 2010, symptoms of yellow mosaic, chlorotic patches and fruit marbling were observed in approximately 50% of tomato plants in a commercial greenhouse in Jocotitlan, Mexico. In 23 symptomatic samples collected between April 2010 and January 2011, Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) was detected in all cases by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. To determine the genotype of PepMV in isolate MX10-05, two primer sets targeting different part of the virus genome were selected for RT-PCR, one targeting the 5’ portion of the RdRp gene and the other targeting the 3’ portion of RdRp and TGB1 genes. Sequence analyses in the NCBI database demonstrated that these two genomic segments contained the highest nucleotide sequence identity (99.4%) to PeMV-CH2 and less so to other genotypes, including EU, US1 and US2. To our knowledge, this is the first report of natual infection of PepMV on greenhouse tomatoes in Mexico.