Prospecção de Hospedeiros alternativos do vírus de topo em leque da bananeira (Banana bunchy Top Vírus -BBTV) nos distritos de Manhiça e Chókwè

Abstract

Banana is one of the most economically important fruit crops worldwide, contributing to the livelihoods and nutrition of millions of people in the tropics, including Mozambique. However, in 2016, Mozambique reported the first outbreak of the disease caused by Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) in Gaza province, threatening banana production in Mozambique and the region. Since then, containment and quarantine measures have been implemented by the government and partners, but the effort has failed to contain the disease, with new outbreaks progressively being reported in new locations, including Maputo province. This study aimed to identify alternative hosts of BBTV in southern Mozambique. Samples were collected from banana production fields in the districts of Manhiça (in Maputo) and Chókwè (in Gaza), from plants that showed some symptoms of viral infection or that harbored sucking insects (such as banana aphids), in the vicinity of banana plants infected with BBTV. BBTV virus screening was performed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Comparative sequence analysis was performed in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database. A total of 103 plant species were identified, with 42 species from 13 families in Manhiça and 61 species from 18 families in Chókwè. The results of the PCR diagnostics detected three weed species as hosts of BBTV: Conyza canadensis (Asteraceae) and Corallocarpus sp. (Cucurbitaceae) in Manhiça, and Centella asiatica (Apiaceae) in Chókwè. Phenotypic analysis of amplicon sequences showed low coverage and high similarity compared to isolates from other regions. The detection of alternative hosts of BBTV in Mozambique paves the way for a more sustainable integrated management of BBTV, as well as for the taxonomy of BBTV strains that are devastating banana production in Mozambique.