No abstract

Symptom expression and levels of the ipomovirus Cucumber vein yellowing virus (CVYV) and the crinivirus Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV) were compared in greenhouse cucumbers in single and mixed infections. Results were contrasted with those obtained for plants infected with the potyvirus Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) in single and in mixed infections with either CVYV or CYSDV. Cucumber showed leaf symptoms of each co-infecting virus, except for the combination of CYSDV with ZYMV, where the typical CYSDV-like symptoms of interveinal leaf yellowing were inconspicuous or absent. The progression of CVYV as quantified by real-time RT-PCR was similar in plants with single infections and in mixed infection with CYSDV between 15 and 60 days post-inoculation (dpi). However, CYSDV was detected at significantly enhanced levels in plants when co-infected with CVYV but not when co-infected with ZYMV. In the latter case, ZYMV levels were reduced when compared with single infections. During mixed infections of ZYMV and CVYV, the titre levels of the ipomovirus were significantly lower when compared with single infections. Cucumber had reduced plant height, internode length, dry weight and fruit yield, positively correlated with the titre levels of CVYV and not of CYSDV during mixed infections. It is concluded that co-infections with CVYV enhance the titre of CYSDV, which could have epidemiological significance.

No abstract

Zucchini squash is host to Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV), a member of the genus Crinivirus, and Cucumber vein yellowing virus (CVYV), a member of the genus Ipomovirus, both transmitted by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci. Field observations suggest the appearance of new symptoms observed on leaves of zucchini squash crops when both viruses were present. When infected during controlled experiments with CYSDV only, zucchini plants showed no obvious symptoms and the virus titer decreased between 15 and 45 days postinoculation (dpi), after which it was no longer detected. CVYV caused inconspicuous symptoms restricted to vein clearing on some of the apical leaves and the virus accumulated progressively between 15 and 60 dpi. Similar accumulations of virus followed single inoculations with the potyvirus Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) and plants showed severe stunting, leaf deformation, and mosaic yellowing. However, in mixed infections with CYSDV and CVYV, intermediate leaves showed chlorotic mottling which evolved later to rolling, brittleness, and complete yellowing of the leaf lamina, with exception of the veins. No consistent alteration of CVYV accumulation was detected but the amounts of CYSDV increased ≈100-fold and remained detectable at 60 dpi. Such synergistic effects on the titer of the crinivirus and symptom expression were not observed when co-infected with ZYMV.