Viroids in chrysanthemum: survey, identification, characterization, source of resistance evaluation and development of diagnostic methods

• Grant number: 11/02721-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: August 01, 2011
• End date: May 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Plant Health
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo Eiras
• Grantee: Danielle Gobatto
• Host Institution: Instituto Biológico (IB). Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 12/20570-3 - Cloning of a Brazilian isolate of chrysanthemum stunt viroid and development of molecular diagnostic technique, BE.EP.MS

Abstract

In Brazil, flowers and ornamental plants market can reach up to 1.5 billion dollars in wholesale and retail yearly. Among ornamental plants, chrysanthemum (Dendrathema spp., Asteraceae) stands out in the domestic market for cut flowers, and it is regarded as one of the most valuable in the flower trade, being produced and commercialized in more than 100 municipalities in the state of São Paulo. However, diseases caused by viruses and viroids have become a problem to chrysanthemum crop, especially due to its vegetative propagation, which facilitates spread of those pathogens. Severe symptoms and losses can be caused by viroids including: (i) Chrysanthemum chlorotic mottle viroid (CChMVd, genus Pelamoviroid, family Avsunviroidae) which induces a generalized yellowing of plants, and (ii) Chrysanthemum stunt viroid (CSVd, genus Pospiviroid, family Pospiviroidae), considered A2 quarantine pest, which normally causes dwarf and delayed flowering, but, in many situations, does not induce visible symptoms, facilitating its perpetuation and spread in the field, and could be overlooked when crosses international barriers. In Brazil, studies on these pathogens are scanty, with a single report of the possible occurrence of CSVd infecting chrysanthemum in the state of São Paulo. Therefore, this project aims to: (i) survey the presence of viroids in chrysanthemum crops in the state of Sao Paulo; (ii) identify and characterize viroids present in collected samples; (iii) challenging varieties of chrysanthemum by mechanical inoculation with an isolate of CSVd; and (iv) develop a molecular diagnostic method with high specificity and sensitivity to increase quarantine and indexing programs. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

GOBATTO, D.; CHAVES, A. L. R.; HARAKAVA, R.; MARQUE, J. M.; DAROS, J. A.; EIRAS, M.. CHRYSANTHEMUM STUNT VIROID IN BRAZIL: SURVEY, IDENTIFICATION, BIOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION AND DETECTION METHODS. JOURNAL OF PLANT PATHOLOGY, v. 96, n. 1, p. 111-119, 2014. (11/02721-1, 12/20570-3)