SEED TRANSMISSION OF INDIAN PEANUT CLUMP VIRUS (IPCV) IN PEANUT AND MILLETS

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) procedure was developed t o test peanut seed for Indian peanut clump virus (IPCV). A double anti body sandwich form of ELISA detected the Hyderabad isolate (IPCV-H) in seed of peanut. Correlation was established between the results from ELISA performed on cotyledons of peanut seed and grow-out tests. Seed transmission in the field-infected peanut plants ranged from 3.5 to 17 %, depending on the genotype. The transmission frequency was 48 to 55% in seed collected from plants infected through seed. Because testae o f all seed contained viral antigen, their removal was essential for th e determination of frequency of seed transmission. Apparently the viru s present only in cotyledons and embryo contributed to the seed transm ission. For the first time. IPCV-H was shown to be seed transmitted in finger millet (Eleusine coracana), foxtail miller (Setaria italica): and pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) at frequencies of 5.2, 9.7, and 0.9%, respectively. Seed transmission was not observed in sorghum (Sor ghum bicolor). Significance of seed transmission in miller crops is di scussed.