A study of Sugarcane yellow leaf disease in Argentina

BERTANI, R.P.*, PERERA, M.F.*, ARIAS, M.E., LUQUE, C., FUNES, C., GONZÁLEZ, V., CUENYA, M.I., PLOPER, D.L. AND CASTAGNARO, A.P.

PLANT DISEASE

AMER PHYTOPATHOLOGICAL SOC

Año: 2014

0191-2917

Yellow leaf disease, caused by Sugarcane yellow leaf virus (SCYLV),is widespread around the world but very little information is availableon this viral disease in Argentina. Therefore, the aims of the study wereto assess the presence of SCYLV, analyze its distribution in the mainsugarcane production areas of Argentina, characterize the virus, anddetermine histological alterations caused by its presence. For this purpose,148 sugarcane samples with and without symptoms were collectedin 2011 and 2012 from the province of Tucumán. One additionalsample was collected in Salta, a different geographical, agroecological,and producing region. Results showed that SCYLV is widely distributedin commercial varieties of sugarcane throughout Tucumán in bothsymptomatic and asymptomatic leaves. A low but statistically significantpositive correlation with virus detection and disease symptomswas found. BRA-PER was the only genotype detected by reverse-transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis of theSCYLV capsid protein gene. SCYLV-positive samples showed highstarch levels in bundle sheath cells, whereas the asymptomatic ones,probably in an early stage of infection, were found to contain morechloroplasts. Symptomatic noninfected samples presented crystal formationprobably associated with phytoplasma infection.