Detection of sugarcane yellow leaf virus (SCYLV) causing yellow leaf disease (YLD) of sugarcane using serological and molecular tools

Abstract

Yellow leaf disease (YLD) is a recently identified disease of sugarcane, affecting sugarcane production significantly in all sugarcane growing areas of the world. Yellow leaf disease (YLD) of sugarcane was first reported in Hamakua (Hawaii) on variety H650782 in 1989 as yellow leaf syndrome1 and subsequently from the United States mainland2 and many other sugarcane growing countries. The disease is reported worldwide in more than 30 countries.3,4 In India, the disease is prevalent in major sugarcane growing states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Madhya Pradesh.5 Currently severe disease incidence is observed in all the sugarcane growing states in the country. The incidence of SCYLV in commercial fields can reach 100% in susceptible cultivars, and the disease can cause significant yield losses in susceptible cultivars even if infected plants do not exhibit the disease symptoms. Detection of the disease is very important as this viral disease is majorly sett borne and planting of infected sets results in severe reduction in yield as well as quality.6 Hence the present study was directed towards the detection of ScYLV using both serological and molecular tools from leaf tissue, seedlings as well as from stem sap.