Development of diagnostics for DNA A and DNA β of a Begomovirus associated with mesta yellow vein mosaic disease and detection of geminiviruses in mesta (Hibiscus cannabinus L. And H-Sabdariffa L.) and some other plant species

Occurrence of yellow vein mosaic disease of mesta (Hibiscus cannabinus L. and H. sabdariffa L.) was found to be endemic in parts of India. For rapid and sensitive diagnosis of the Begomovirus associated with this disease, a radiolabelled diagnostic method has been developed. Southern hybridization and nucleic acid spot hybridization using radiolabelled probes to the coat protein (CP) gene of DNA A and DNA beta of the virus were able to detect the virus both in plants and in viruliferous whiteflies. These probes detected the presence of the same virus in experimentally infected Vigna plants showing only leaf crumpling symptoms. These probes were also able to detect infection in other crops, ornamentals and weed plants showing characteristic symptoms of whitefly-transmitted geminiviruses. Polymerase chain reaction amplification through primers specific to the CP gene, full-length DNA A and full-length DNA beta molecules using DNA isolated from all infected plants and viruliferous whiteflies detected presence of same virus in them.