Parmatma Prasad Upadhyaya

Biological properties, transmission, serological characterization and varietal susceptibility of an isolate of Papaya leaf curl virus affecting papaya crops in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India

Papaya leaf curl disease (PLCD) was recorded with 5–35% incidence at six districts of Eastern Uttar Pradesh during survey. The characteristic symptoms observed were severe downward leaf curling, swelling of veins, twisting and reduction of petioles, inverted leaf bowls and stunted growth of the entire plant which bore only few small and distorted fruit. The virus isolate was identified as Papaya leaf curl virus (PaLCuV).The PaLCuV isolate was successfully transmitted by whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) but not by mechanical (sap) transmission on Carica papaya plants. Plants could be proved efficiently from infected to healthy C. papaya, Capsicum annuum, Lycopersicon esculentum, Nicotiana tabacum, Crotalaria juncea, Ageratum conyzoides, Zinnia elegans, Datura stramonium and Petunia hybrida. Symptomatic samples of these plants were tested with polyclonal antiserum of Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus by DAC-ELISA test showed the positive relationship of the samples with geminivirus. On the basis of symptomatology, whitefly transmission, host range studies and serological relationship, the isolate was identified as whitefly transmitted geminivirus. To identify potential varietal resistances source to PaLCuV, five cultivars of C. papaya were tested against PaLCuV using whitefly insects to transmit the infection. Results revealed that two cultivars (Washington and Ranchi Dwarf) were found to be moderately resistant.

Association of pigeon pea witches’ broom phytoplasma infecting Carpobrotus edulis (L.) N.E. Br in India

Leaf yellowing and little leaf symptoms with reduced size of flowers were observed in Carpobrotus edulis at Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India in the years 2012–2013. Phytoplasma presence was confirmed in symptomatic C. edulis leaves using phytoplasma universal primers P1/P7 and R16F2n/R16R2 that produced expected size amplicons of ~1.8 kb and ~1.2kb, respectively. BLAST analysis of 16S rDNA sequence of the phytoplasma detected revealed 99% similarity with those of tomato big bud, Brassica rapa phyllody, Iranian almond witches’ broom, Phlox drummondii, sesame phyllody and Iran eggplant big bud all belonging to 16SrIX group. Phylogenetic analysis of the C. edulis phytoplasma 16S rDNA sequence confirmed its closest relationship with members of the 16SrIX group. Virtual RFLP analysis of 1.25 kb sequence of 16S rDNA identified it as a new strain in the 16SrIX-C subgroup that is for the first time reported in C. edulis species worldwide.

Diversity of Passalora on Ficus

During a survey of hyphomycetes, Passalora trichophila sp. nov. was discovered on living leaves of Ficus mysorensis (Moraceae) in a subtropical forest of eastern Uttar Pradesh, India. This species is described, illustrated and compared with morphologically similar species. A key to species of Passalora found on Ficus is provided. Descriptions and nomenclatural details were deposited in MycoBank (www.MycoBank.org).

Two new species of Zasmidium from northeastern Uttar Pradesh, India

During surveys of anamorphic fungi, two undescribed taxa of Zasmidium were discovered, Z. dioscorinum sp. nov. on Dioscorea oppositifolia (Dioscoreaceae) and Z. robustum sp. nov. on living leaves of Prunus sp. (Rosaceae), in subtropical forests of northeastern Uttar Pradesh, India. These two species differ from similar species morphologically. These species are described, illustrated and compared with closely related taxa.