First Report of Papaya ringspot virus W in Sponge Gourd from India

During August 2004, symptoms resembling a virus disease were observed in commercial cultivation of sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica (L.) M. Roem. [cv. Chikni]) in Pune, India. Affected plants exhibited mosaic mottling, vein banding, and downward marginal curling on leaves. The incidence of disease was 10 to 30% based on the symptoms and confirmed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Six fields of sponge gourd were visited, and 30 samples were collected randomly. Samples from affected fields were analyzed for the presence of virus by mechanical inoculation. Symptoms typical of those observed in the original field plants appeared 10 days after inoculation on sponge gourd. The virus isolate produced local lesions on Chenopodium amaranticolor and systemic symptoms on Cucumis melo, Cucumis sativus, Cucurbita maxima, Cucurbita pepo, L. acutangula, and L. cylindrica, but did not produce symptoms on Carica papaya (cvs. CO2 and Red Lady), Nicotiana glutinosa, N. tabacum (cv. White Burley), or Vigna unguiculata. Field-infected sponge gourd and all indicator plants were tested using double-antibody sandwich (DAS)-ELISA. The virus was identified as Papaya ringspot virus-W (PRSV-W) using DAS-ELISA (Agdia, Elkhart, IN). A strong, positive reaction was obtained with antiserum to PRSV-W but not with antisera to PRSV-P, Cucumber mosaic virus, Squash mosaic virus, Zucchini yellow mosaic virus, and Groundnut bud necrosis virus. To ensure virus purity, the isolate was passed through three successive single-lesion transfers on C. amaranticolor. Flexuous filamentous particles 775 nm long were observed with electron microscopy of leaf-dip preparation from symptomatic sponge gourd leaves. The virus particles were then decorated with a second PRSV-W antiserum obtained from the Plant Virology Unit, IARI, New Delhi. PRSV-W on sponge gourd has previously been reported from Taiwan (1). To our knowledge, this is the first report of natural occurrence of PRSV-W on sponge gourd in India. Reference: (1.) C. H. Huang et al. J. Agri. Res. China 36:413, 1987.