Studies on Distribution of Sugarcane Yellow Leaf Virus in Commercially Grown Sugarcane Varieties in Andhra Pradesh

Abstract

Background: Among the diseases of sugarcane, Sugarcane yellow leaf disease (YLD) is one of the most prevalent diseases of sugarcane posing serious threat to the sugarcane cultivation worldwide. The current study aims at studying the distribution of SCYLV in the major sugarcane-growing of Andhra Pradesh and determining sequence identities, sequence variations and phylogenetic relationships between the SCYLV isolates reported earlier from India and worldwide. Methods: ORF1 and ORF2 regions of the viral genome coding for RNA dependent RNA Polymerase (RdRP) was amplified from twelve of the samples using the gene specific primers viz., SCYLV-F3 and SCYLV-R3. The ORF1 and ORF2 regions were studied for sequence similarity at nucleotide and aminoacid level and phylogentic relationships were established with the other SCYLV isolates. Result: The multiple sequence analysis of the isolates under the study with 22 similar sequences of SYLCV isolates reported from India and worldwide revealed 90.6-100% identities with IND, REU, BRA, CHN, HAW, CUB, COL and PER genotypes reported worldwide. The Indian isolates showed close phylogenetic relationship with the CUB and COL isolates. Hence it was confirmed from the study that SCYLV isolates collected from major sugarcane growing regions of Andhra Pradesh closely related to SCYLV-CUB and SCYLV-COL genotypes.