A study of South African strains of the sugarcane mosaic potyvirus (SCMV) identified by sequence analysis of the 5' region of the coat protein gene

Abstract

Sugarcane mosaic potyvirus (SCMV) IS the causal agent of the most important viral disease of sugarcane in South Africa, mosaic. Accurate knowledge of the prevalent SCMV strain(s) in the South African sugar industry is lacking and has never been determined using molecular analysis. Identification of SCMVstrains at the genomic level would provide valuable information for the development of appropriate in vitro diagnostic tests and in the genetic engineering of sugarcane for coat protein (CP) mediated resistance.