Role of satellite RNA of an Indian isolate of cucumber mosaic virus in inducing lethal necrosis of tobacco plants

Abstract

Lethal necrosis or systemic stem necrosis followed by death of <i>Nicotiana benthamiana, </i>severe leaf deformations of <i>N. tabacum </i>cv. white burley and blister formations on <i>N. tabacum </i>cv. samsun NN symptoms were induced by experimental inoculations<i> </i>of CMV RNA preparations containing satellite RNA (sat-RNA). Inoculations of RNA preparations without sat-RNA did not induce that severe symptoms on these plants, only late mild mosaic was observed. It is suggested that sat-RNA of CMV isolate has a certain role for enhancing severity of symptoms in tobacco plants. Local and systemic lethal necrosis<i> </i>of <i>N. benthamiana </i>is due to sat-RNA present with genome of CMV isolate. It is the first report of lethal necrosis induced in <i>N.benthamiana </i>by CMV satellite.