Screening for resistance to Kyuri green mottle mosaic virus in various melons

Abstract

Abstract Among many species in the genus Tobamovirus, Kyuri green mottle mosaic virus (KGMMV) is known as a major seed‐borne virus infecting cucurbit plants, including melon, which possesses no known resistance. The identification of genetic resistance to KGMMV in Indonesia (KGMMV‐YM) in melons is of economic importance. Thus, 45 melon cultigens collected from 17 Asian countries were screened by manual virus inoculation and resistance to KGMMV‐YM was examined by visual observation, enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). The results show that resistance to KGMMV‐YM was found in ‘Mawatauri’, ‘Kohimeuri’, PI 161375 and PI 371795, and analysis by RT‐PCR showed the presence of KGMMV‐YM in susceptible cultigens as early as 3 days after leaf inoculation.