Detection of cassava brown streak ipomoviruses in aphids collected from cassava plants

Cassava is an important staple food in Africa and a major source of carbohydrates for 800 million people globally. However, cassava suffers severe yield losses caused by many factors including pests diseases. A devastating disease brown streak (CBSD) the ipomoviruses (CBSIs) (family Potyviridae ), virus (CBSV), Ugandan (UCBSV). Spread CBSD mainly through planting infected stem cuttings used propagation. Transmission CBSIs insect vector (Bemisia tabaci) has been reported. experimental transmission efficiencies are usually low. Recent research showed occurrence DAG motif associated with aphid other potyviruses, within coat protein gene CBSV. Consequently this study aimed to explore possibility that besides whiteflies, aphids may transmit CBSIs. plants were assessed during survey as potential alternative vectors. We collected from CBSD-symptomatic symptomless farmers' fields Uganda April–July 2020. The analyzed presence reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) determine species using mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase (mtCOI) barcoding. Unusual infestation was observed at 35 locations nine districts across on 11 plant or adjacent fields. This first report infesting Uganda. Molecular analysis confirmed three different surveyed fields, namely, Aphis solanella, fabae mordvilkoi , Rhopalosiphum sp . mtCOI nucleotide sequences which detected deposited Genbank under accession numbers OP223337-40. Both UCBSV CBSV RT-PCR CBSD-affected plants. 14 samples 19 These results suggest ability acquire CBSIs, but experiments required their potential.