Estudos sobre a transmissão do vírus da leprose dos citros e da mancha anular do cafeeiro pelo ácaro Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes) (Acari: Tenuipalpidae)

Abstract

Brevipalpus mites are vectors of several plant viruses called Brevipalpus transmitted virus –BrTV. Among these, Citrus leprosis virus C (CiLV-C) and Coffee ringspot virus (CoRSV) are important due to the damages caused in Citrus spp. and Coffea spp., respectively. The symptoms occur as localized infection on both leaves and fruits. The interactions between vector and virus are of particular interest both from the scientific perspective and on the development of control measures. However, for these and other BrTV, the mode interactions are still unknown. Preliminary study suggests that CoRSV replicates in the vector tissue, while CiLV-C is mode circulates manner. The aim of this study was to investigate the interactions established between CiLV-C and CoRSV with B. phoenicis. Adult females aviruliferous of B. phoenicis were submitted to acquisition access period of respective virus during five days. After this time they were transferred to hosts (treatments): mungbean (Canavalia ensiformis, non-host of the virus), symptomatic and healthy (citrus and coffee plants) and collected after four different periods of time: 0; 7; 14 and 21 days. The interactions were investigated by real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and transmission assays. The qPCR revealed that there was no increase in viral load over time in all treatments for any of the virus in question. The TEM, it was not possible to detect particles of CiLV-C or CoRSV. CiLV-C transmission rate was 83, 75% and 58% for the treatments symptomatic citrus, mungbean and healthy citrus, respectively. The first symptoms of the leprosis were observed after 30±5 days after mites infestation. In the CoRSV transmission assays no symptoms of coffee ringspot were observed during a period of six months. These results suggest that a long incubation period was be necessary before CoRSV transmission by the vector. By the CiLV-C the results indicate that interaction type virus-vector is of the circulative mode.