A comprehensive survey on the occurrence of begomovirus infecting major cucurbits in Odisha State, India

AbstractThis study presents a comprehensive assessment of begomovirus disease incidence and severity in major cucurbits of Odisha from 2021 to 2023. A total of 320 samples were collectedacross various cucurbit crops, revealing diverse virus symptoms such as mosaic patterns, blistering, leaf curling and chlorosis. Disease incidences ranged widely, with bitter gourd, bottle gourd, ridge gourd, sponge gourd, cucumber, pumpkin, snake gourd, and ash gourd exhibiting varying percentages. Noteworthy disease incidence percentages (66-87%) were documented in different locations, providing a detailed insight into the regional impact of virus infections. The PCR-based detection using begomovirus-specific degenerate primers identified the begomovirus in 68 bitter gourds, 26 bottle gourds, 59 cucumbers, 67 pumpkins, 66 ridge gourds, 11 sponge gourds, 8 snake gourds, and 9 ash gourdssamples. Among these, 64.42% samples were infected with bipartite begomovirus, 60.74% samples with monopartite begomovirus and 12% samples with betasatellites. The infection rates varied across different locations, indicating the spatial dynamics of disease prevalence. These findings contribute valuable insights into the disease severity of cucurbit viruses in Odisha, offering a foundation for future research and management strategies in cucurbits cultivation.