Seed, soil and vegetative transmission contribute to the spread of pecluviruses in Western Africa and the Indian sub-continent

Peanut clump and sugarcane red leaf mottle diseases are caused by viruses of the genus Pecluvirus. Indian peanut clump virus Occurs in the Indian sub-continent and Peanut clump virus in West Africa. A feature of these viruses is that they are both seed and soil transmitted. Both modes of transmission contribute to long-term persistence and field spread. Data on seed transmission in pearl millet, virus movement within the plant and Virus diversity based on RNA-1 partial sequences are presented. This study emphasizes that pecluviruses are also Viruses Of cereals infecting Sorghum and pearl millet, and highlights a correlation between the countries cultivating these two Crops and the virus distribution. Ways of controlling pecluviruses and their vector, Polymyxa graminis, taking into account the virus dissemination routes, are proposed. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved