Polymerase chain reaction and nucleic acid spot hybridisation detection of begomovirus(es) associated with apical leaf curl disease of potato

Abstract

Apical leaf curl disease of potato (PALCD) is most likely to be caused by begomovirus(es) and it is very important to produce disease-free potato seed tuber as these viruses are transmitted through seed tuber from one generation to the next. In the present investigation, 27 potato leaf samples were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using coat protein gene of Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus - [Potato] (ToLCNDV-[Pot]) specific primers and nucleic acid spot hybridisation (NASH) using DNA A, DNA B and DNA β components of ToLCNDV-[Pot] associated with PALCD as probe. Out of 27 samples tested by these two techniques; PCR could detect the presence of DNA A of ToLCNDV in 19 samples and only two samples were found positive for DNA A and DNA B of ToLCNDV by NASH. These results suggest that the utility and sensitivity of the PCR technique in large scale screening for the production of disease-free potato seed tubers.