Caracterização molecular de vírus que infectam inhame (Dioscorea spp.) no nordeste do Brasil

Abstract

The yam crop (Dioscorea spp.) has a great socioeconomic importance for the Northeast region of Brazil, due to the excellent nutritional quality and energy of its tubers, with potential for export, especially for Europe. However information about the occurrence and distribution of yam viruses are limited in Brazil, the major constraints to yam production, are the viral pathogens. In this study, surveys were conducted to detect the occurrence of viruses yam in produtive areas in northeastern Brazil. The analysis of sequences of virus in yam leaf samples from Alagoas, Pernambuco and Paraiba states were evaluated using the molecular techniques polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and rolling circle amplification (RCA) which revealed the occurrence of badnavirus and geminivirus. Analyzing the partial nucleotide sequence in the RT/RNaseH encoding region, was observed that the isolates of badnavirus correspond to the species Dioscorea alata bacilliform virus (DaBV) and presented nucleotide sequences identity with 50 isolates of DaBV varying between 78-97%. It was also observed that a group with four isolates unrelated to any species of Badnavirus genus, indicating the possibility of being a new phytovirus genus or corresponding to endogenous sequence. Some samples showed the presence of a new begomovirus closely related to species that infect tomato and weeds. A curtovirus was also detected in yam samples and it was related to the described specie Beet mild curly top virus, not reported in Brazil in any host. These results suggest that DaBV is a widespread virus found in northeastern Brazil, the possible presence of endogenous sequences in yam and records the first report of geminivirus in yam and monocotyledonous in Brazil.