SYSTEMIC INFECTION OF VIGNA-MUNGO USING THE CLONED DNAS OF THE BLACKGRAM ISOLATE OF MUNGBEAN YELLOW MOSAIC GEMINIVIRUS THROUGH AGROINOCULATION AND TRANSMISSION OF THE PROGENY VIRUS BY WHITEFLIES

Agroinoculation of blackgram (Vigna mungo) by the cloned genomic compo nents (DNA-A and DNA-B) of a non-sap transmissible isolate of mungbean yellow mosaic geminivirus (MYMV) has been demonstrated. It has been s hown that MYMV has a bipartite genome. Tandem dimeric constructs of DN A-A and DNA-B were infectious when inoculated together and induced sys temic yellow mosaic symptoms. Agroinoculation of germinated seeds of b lackgram was superior to inoculation of stems of seedlings. Infection of blackgram plants was confirmed by ELISA, dot blot and Southern hybr idization. Agroinfected plants contained different forms of DNA charac teristic of whitefly transmitted geminiviruses. The virus from agroinf ected plants was transmissible by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci.