Citrullus lanatus: A new natural host of groundnut ringspot orthotospovirus in Argentina Citrullus lanatus: Un nuevo hospedante natural del Groundnut ringspot orthotospovirus en Argentina

POZZI, E.A.; LUCIANI, C.E.; GIOVANI CELLI, M.; CONCI, V.C.; PEROTTO, M.C.

AgriScientia

Universidad Nacional de Cordoba

Año: 2021 vol. 38 p. 71 - 78

0327-6244

Orthotospoviruses cause serious economic damage, being a major limitation for production and quality in different crops. The objectives of this work were to detect the presence of orthotospovirus that are infecting cucurbit crops in the country and analyze its phylogeny. Samples were taken in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) production lots during 2017/2018 in Santiago del Estero province. The results of this work showed in the watermelon samples showed the presence of characteristic virions of the Orthotospovirus genus, and were positive to serological and molecular tests with specific reagents (DAS-ELISA and RT-PCR) confirming the presence of groundnut ringspot orthotospovirus (GRSV). Genomic fragments were amplified, sequenced and deposited in GenBank, access nº MK680832 and MK680833. Phylogenetic analysis of N-protein nucleotide partial sequences showed that GRSV isolates from Argentina (watermelon host) were grouped into a new group with high bootstrap value. These sequences were placed in a cluster formed by sequences from the American continent that were separated from those that conformed the group of sequences of African origin. This work is the first report of the presence of the GRSV in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) cultivation in Argentina.