A survey on sugarcane mosaic symptoms leads to the first report of sugarcane chlorotic streak virus in Cameroon

Abstract

Four sugarcane leaf samples from Cameroon showing mosaic like symptoms tested negative by RT-PCR for potyviruses and a poacevirus causing mosaic in sugarcane. Virus sequences sharing 98–99% nucleotide identity with Sugarcane chlorotic streak virus from Nigeria were found in these four samples by virion-associated nucleic acid metagenomics. Five complete genome sequences were obtained after cloning five isolates from Cameroon. These genome sequences shared less than 75–76% identity with the closest Mastrevirus species, thus confirming that Sugarcane chlorotic streak virus is a new Mastrevirus species. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Sugarcane chlorotic streak virus in Cameroon.