Infection caused by Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) is one of the most important viral diseases of pepper worldwide. Young pepper seedlings were inoculated mechanically with CMV-Fny (Fast New York) isolate and were kept in growth chambers at 20-25 degrees C for symptom and fruit development. All inoculated plants developed severe mosaic symptoms and produced fruit except one. Mature seeds were isolated from fruits harvested from CMV-infected plants. Total RNA was extracted from pepper seeds and analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using CMV sub-group IA specific primers. Analysis of individual whole seeds showed that seed-borne infection of CMV in pepper ranged from 95 to 100%. Further seed-growth tests were performed in Petri dishes and CMV was detected in both seed coat and embryo. Seed coat infection of CMV ranged from 53 to 83% while that of the embryo ranged from 10 to 46%. Seed-growth tests in pots were also performed and the rate of seed transmission was approximately 10 to 14%. This is the first report of CMV seed transmission in pepper.
Published by Elsevier B.V.