A novel set of polyvalent primers that detect members of the genera Bromovirus and Cucumovirus

Rapid detection and diagnosis of plant virus infection is one of the most important steps in preventing damages caused by viral diseases. Bromoviruses and cucumoviruses belong to the family Bromoviridae, which is one of the most important families of plant viruses, and infect a broad range of host plants including various economically important crops. In this study, an RT-PCR assay was developed for the universal detection of bromoviruses and cucumoviruses using a set of primers designed to target the conserved sequences in viral RNA1. The assay detected three species of Cucumovirus (Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Peanut stunt virus (PSV) and Tomato aspermy virus (TAV)) and two species of Bromovirus (Brome mosaic virus (BMV) and Cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV)) with high specificity and sensitivity. The assay developed in this study is predicted to have the potential to detect all major members of the genera Bromovirus and Cucumovirus and to be used as a routine diagnostic assay.