Characterization of the Causal of Sugarcane Streak Disease in Indonesia

Abstract

During field survey on 2007 in 59 sugarcane plantations in Java, we found a streak mosaic symptom on sugarcane in almost entire plantations. The incidence was vary, however it predominantly infected sugarcane cultivar PS 864. The virus was transmitted mechanically and cutting-cane borne (sett-borne), however it unable to transmitted by aphid Rophaloshipum maydis and mealy bug Ceratovacuna lanigera. The virus had a narrow host range limited to the graminae. Among 23 plant species belongs to 8 families, the virus systemically infected Sorghum bicolor, Zea mays and Dactylactonium aegypticum. The virion form was filament flexious size approximately 890 nm and SDS-PAGE of purified virion showed the size of the CP gene is a 40 Kda. RT-PCR using specific primer for SCSMV successfully amplified a DNA size 1.100 bp of the entire CP gene and partially NIb gene. DNA sequencing result of the CP gene confirmed the present of Sugarcane streak mosaic virus (SCSMV) as the causal of streak mosaic disease. It referred as SCSMV-Idn isolate. The CP sequences size 852 bp, and encoded 283 amino acid. Phylogenetic analysis of the CP gene showed that SCSMV-Idn had 92% sequences homology closely to SCSMV Pakistani isolate (Accession No. U75456). This is the first report of the occurrence of SCSMV on sugarcane in Indonesia.