Plant Molecular Virology, National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow.
Abstracts of Research Papers Presented during the National Symposium of Indian Virological Society at Unit of Plant Virology, Division of Plant Pathology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110 012, October 14–1.
Molecular basis of plant virus management is basically linked with molecular diagnostics and transfer of desirable genes for viral resistance. In India the work is in progress on geminiviruses, cucumoviruses and potyviruses infecting a number of economically important crop plants. The work has also been done extensively on viruses of cucurbits, citrus, banana and ornamental plants. We must compliment the work done at IARI for Bean golden mosaic virus, citrus virus/es, agroinfectious clones and genetic variability.
At NBRI, Bipartite genome of Indian tomato leaf curl virus (ITLCV) has been investigated. The coat protein, movement protein and replicase ORFs have been identified in its genome. The CP gene has been utilized to produce ITLCV resistant transgenic tomato plants. Simultaneously, three strains of Cucumber mosaic virus have also been characterized at molecular level and CP gene has also been utilized for developing tobacco plants for in built resistance against CMV strains. To develop multiple resistance in plants, a fusion of CP genes of TLCV and CMV has been done and attempts are being made to mobilize the fusion construct in to commercially important plants. Molecular diagnostics have also been developed for quick, reliable and sensitive detection of geminivirus, cucumovirus and potyvirus strains in ornamental, commercially important crops and weed plants. Molecular studies carried out on weeds have been proved to be useful as connecting link between crops-virus-weeds.
However, one should emphasize on restriction mapping, genetic variability, development of agroinfectious clones, molecular diagnostics and use of more than one gene for transgenics. It is also suggested that the use of resistant gene in host may also be exploited for resistance.
