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. 2022 Mar 25;11(7):883.
doi: 10.3390/plants11070883.

Investigating the Longevity and Infectivity of Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus in Soils of the Northern Territory, Australia

David Lovelock  1 , Sharl Mintoff  2 , Nadine Kurz  2 , Merran Neilsen  2 , Shreya Patel  2 , Fiona Constable  1 , Lucy Tran-Nguyen  3
Affiliations

Investigating the Longevity and Infectivity of Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus in Soils of the Northern Territory, Australia

David Lovelock et al. Plants (Basel). .

Abstract

Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) is a Tobamovirus of economic importance affecting cucurbit crops and Asian cucurbit vegetables. CGMMV was detected in the Northern Territory (NT) in September 2014, the first record for Australia, with 26 properties confirmed as of May 2016. Research was undertaken to determine virus longevity in soils in the NT and investigate the use of disinfectants to remove viable CGMMV from the soil. An in-field trial at 12 months post-quarantine at four properties, and bioassays from collected soils indicate that CGMMV remained viable in at least two of the properties 12 months after plant hosts were removed from the ground. The infectivity of CGMMV from soil was also investigated in two trials with 140 watermelon seeds and 70 watermelon plants sown into CGMMV infested soils with or without the application of the disinfectants VirkonTM (2%) and Bleach (1%). Watermelons grown in soil, not treated with the VirkonTM or Bleach, showed CGMMV infection rates of 4% and 2.5% respectively. When VirkonTM or Bleach was applied, no positive CGMMV detections were observed in the watermelons. This research highlights the importance of proper management of infested properties and the need for on-farm biosecurity to manage CGMMV.

Keywords: Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus; disinfection; soil longevity.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Conventional RT-PCR of the CGMMV coat protein (A), movement protein (B) and RT-qPCR (C) of positive CGMMV detections in soil longevity (18 month) screenhouse trials of IP4 (Lane 1–10 = pots 1–10; Lane 11 = positive control; Lane 12 and 13 = negative controls).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Symptomology (Red circles) of CGMMV on N. benthamiana planted into infested soil treated with (A) 2% VirkonTM and (B) untreated soil.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The location (red star) of the four filed trial sites spread out across the Northern Territory.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Completed field bed sites with insect proof netting at each of the four field site locations (IPs).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Setup of the soil longevity trial conducted in an insect proof screenhouse at Berrimah Farm Research Station. (A) Pre-planting; (B) Post Planting.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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