CHARACTERIZATION OF A PEPPER VEIN BANDING VIRUS FROM CHILI-PEPPER IN INDIA

A survey conducted in pepper-growing tracts of Karnataka State, coveri ng 165 fields in 33 villages, revealed the occurrence of many pepper m osaic diseases. Based on reactions on selected test plants, the viruse s were identified as pepper vein banding virus (PVBV), pepper veinal m ottle virus, potato virus Y, cucumber mosaic virus, and tobacco mosaic virus. Among these, PVBV was the most prevalent. PVBV was purified fr om infected leaves of Capsicum annuum cv. California Wonder. Electron microscopy revealed flexuous rod-shaped particles in the purified prep arations. The coat protein (CP) molecular weight was 35,000, which is similar to members of the Potyvirus group. As in other potyviruses, th e CP underwent proteolytic degradation to a fragment with a molecular weight of 31,000. Both of these bands cross-reacted with antibodies ag ainst tobacco etch virus in Western blots. Polyclonal antibodies were produced against PVBV. Cross-reactivity studies with other potyviral a ntisera showed that PVBV is serologically closer to peanut mottle viru s than to peanut stripe Virus or sorghum potyvirus. N-terminal sequenc e analysis of the intact CP and trypsin-resistant core revealed that P VBV is a distinct member of the Potyvirus group.