April 1, 2003
From: American Phytopathological Society, Plant Disease Notes [edited]


First report of zucchini yellow mosaic virus in bottlegourd in India
Raj Verma, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Regional Station, Agricultural College Estate, P.O. Shivajinagar, Pune- 411 005, India; Y. S. Ahlawat, Plant Virology Unit, Department of Plant Pathology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi- 110 012, India; S. P. S. Tomer and Satya Prakash, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Regional Station, Agricultural College Estate, P.O. Shivajinagar, Pune- 411 005, India; and R. P. Pant, Plant Virology Unit, Department of Plant Pathology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi- 110 012, India. Plant Dis. 88:426, 2004; published on-line as D-2004-0124-01N, 2004. Accepted for publication 17 Dec 2003.

In December 2002, bottlegourd (_Lagenaria siceraria_ L.) plants grown as a commercial crop in Pune, India (western Maharashtra) showed severe mosaic, interveinal chlorosis, and leaf deformation that resulted in fernleaf
appearance and severe fruit distortion in approximately 70 percent of the plants. Crude sap of collected samples was used to mechanically inoculate uninfected glasshouse-grown bottlegourd plants that reproduced symptoms observed in the field.

Sap extracts from these glasshouse-infected bottlegourd plants were used to mechanically inoculate selected indicator hosts. Chlorotic local lesions were produced on _Chenopodium amaranticolor_, and systemic symptoms were produced on _Benincasa hispida_ (Chinese squash), _Citrullus lanatus_ (watermelon), _Cucumis sativus_ (cucumber), _Cucurbita moschata_ (pumpkin), _Luffa cylindrica_, and _Trichosanthes anguina_.

The virus was specifically identified with serological testing using direct antigen coating enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The virus reacted strongly to Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) antiserum and did not react to Papaya ring spot virus-P (PRSV-P), Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), or Watermelon mosaic virus (WMV) antisera. Electron microscopic examination of leafdip preparation from infected plants showed flexuous filamentous particles (720 to 760 nm long) that are typical of potyviruses.

Natural infection of bottlegourd by ZYMV has been reported in the Hawaiian Islands (1). To our knowledge, this is the first report of this potentially destructive virus in bottlegourd in India.

Reference: (1) D. E. Ullman et al. Plant Dis. 75:367, 1991.

[ZYMV is an aphid-transmitted potyvirus that causes severe diseases in several cucurbit species. Symptoms include mosaic, yellowing, shoestringing, stunting, and fruit and seed deformations. ZYMV is particularly damaging to cucurbit crops in some Mediterranean countries, Central Europe, and the USA. Typical of aphid-transmitted viruses, it is extremely difficult to control with insecticides, reflective mulches, or mineral oils. Disease management involves use of resistant cultivars and control of infected weeds from which aphids can acquire the virus. Application of chemical insecticides is usually not economical.
Additional references:
<http://www3.res.bbsrc.ac.uk/webdpv/web/adpv.asp?dpvnum=282#diseases>
<http://www.apsnet.org/online/feature/pumpkin/zuccyell.html>
<http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/3000/3109.html>
-Mod.DH]