Incidence and Partial Characterization of Mycoviral Infection in Plant Pathogenic Fungi

Abstract

Phytopathogenic fungi are the main cause of loss of crops every year. The current study was based on the investigation of phytopathogenic fungi infecting plant tissues including leaves stem fruits of different plant types. Incidence of mycoviral infection was checked in 40 isolates. DsRNA mycoviruses were found in four fungal isolates showing the 10 % frequency of infection. Morphological identification of fungi was done through microscopy and molecular identification of the fungi carried out by using ITS primers. The sequencing results showed four infected fungal strains were Neofusicoccum parvum, Fusarium Fujikuri, Fusarium flocciferum, Lasiodiplodia spp. The dsRNA profile infecting fungi resembled to Totivirus and Partitivirus. A co-infection Partitividae and Totiviridae was found in Fusarium flocciferum. Attempts were made to characterize the partitivirus infecting Fusarium flocciferum. RdRp amplicon were obtained using RT-PCR using RdRp specific primers. The sequencing of purified PCR products revealed 84 % identity with the Colletotrichum truncatum partitivirus. Complete characterization of mycovirus and understanding the role of this mycovirus in the host will help us to exploit it potential as a biocontrol agent.