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Overview of Musa viruses in sub-Saharan Africa

is known in India as Kokkan disease. BBrMV also infects Abaca in the Philippines, and in some plants at least, the symptoms resemble those induced in banana (Sharman et al. 2000).

Recently, the virus has also been detected in some plants with CMV-like symptoms from India, Thailand, and Vietnam, though only the plants from India were tested for, and shown to contain CMV (Rodoni et al. 1999). A sample from western Samoa had symptoms of BSV infection, and had a dual infection of BSV and BBrMV (Rodoni et al. 1999). It is thus possible the virus is much morę widespread than previously believed. With the detection methods available now (Bateson and Dale 1995; Rodoni et al. 1997; Thomas et al. 1997; Sharman et al. 2000), greater clarity on the distribution and importance of the virus is likely to emerge.

Abaca mosaic virus (AbaMV)

AbaMV, belonging to the sugarcane mosaic subgroup of the genus Potyvirus, is restricted to the Philippines. It has been a significant constraint to production of Abaca (Musa textilis\ Manila hemp) (Eloja and Tinsley 1963, Diekmann and Putter 1996).

The virus can be transmitted to edible banana, in which it causes symptoms similar to BBrMV (Magnaye and Espino 1990; Stover 1972). However, nucleotide sequence information and serology (Thomas et al. 1997) have confirmed that the two viruses are distinct. This suggests that both have to be taken into account in surveys of viruses of bananas and in the indexing of Musa germplasm.

Banana die-back virus (BDBV)

A probable Nepovirus, BDBV, has recently been recorded in Nigeria (Hughes et al. 1998). The virus causes leaf crinkling, leaf necrosis, and cigar-leaf die-back, and suckers from the same mats are progressively morę stunted, ultimately resulting in severely stunted banana plants. The extent of the disease and implications for banana/plantain production in sub-Saharan Africa are unknown, and are the subject of investigation currently (Hughes et al. 1998).

References

Allam, E.K., S.A. El-Afifi, A.E. El-Ahdal, and A.S. Sadik. 1995. Transmission and control of banana mosaic virus in Egypt. Annals of Agricultural Science, Cairo 40: 525-538.

Bateson, M.F., and J.L. Dale. 1995. Banana bract mosaic virus: characterization using Potyvirus specific degenerate PCR primers. Archives of Yirology 140: 515-527.

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