Identification and incidence of virus diseases of Capsicum annuum in the Lusaka Province of Zambia |
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| Authors: | J Ndunguru RG Kapooria |
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| Institution: | Plant Protection Division, P.P. Box 1484, Mwanza (Tanzania): e-mail:;Department of Biological Sciences, University of Zambia, PO Box 32379, Lusaka (Zambia) |
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| Abstract: | Commercial capsicum fields in Lusaka Province were surveyed for the presence of viruses during 1996-01/06. The survey demonstrated the occurrence of five viruses in 13 fields. Virus identification was based on field disease syndrome, host range studies, DAS-ELISA and electron microscopy. The identified viruses were alfalfa mosaic alfamovirus (AMV), potato Y potyvirus (PVY), tobacco mosaic tobamovirus (TMV), cucumber mosaic cucumovirus (CMV) and pepper mild mottle tobamovirus (PMMV). The most prevalent and widespread virus, recovered from 70% of the surveyed fields, was AMV, and this was followed by PVY and TMV, which were detected in 50% and 40% of the fields respectively. CMV and PMMV were less common and occurred in 30% of fields. The study also showed that PVY could infect capsicum plants alone or in combination with CMV or TMV. The average plant infections caused by AMV was 80–100% and by TMV and PVY 50% and 60% respectively. The disease incidence in the case of CMV was 15–60% and for PMMV 30–40%. This is a first report on the identification of viruses that infect capsicum in Zambia. |
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