Serological and Molecular Characterisation of Virus Infecting Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) in ....

Watermelon, Citrullus lanatus (Thunb. ), is a Cucurbitaceae family annual crop grown for its fruits. Its nutritional and medicinal properties aid in the treatment of many diseases and the maintenance of good health. Virus disease has placed this crop's production in Nigeria under serious pressure. During the 2019 planting season, a survey of some farms in Adim, Biase Local Government Area, Cross River State, Nigeria, revealed mosaic and chlorotic symptoms. Young seedlings of Cucumeropsis mannii from watermelon samples with viral symptoms were mechanically inoculated, then screened against the universal potyvirus antiserum and detected by RT-PCR using cylindrical inclusion (CI) primer. The nucleotide sequence of the amplified cDNA was determined. The serology result revealed a positive response to the potyvirus antiserum, indicating that it was indeed a potyvirus. The gene sequence analysis showed that the virus shares 86 percent of its sequence with Algerian watermelon mosaic virus. This is the first time in Nigeria that an Algerian watermelon mosaic virus strain has infected watermelon.

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