Incidence of Potato Spindle Tuber Viroid (PSTVs) in Potato Growing Areas of Punjab

Incidence of Potato Spindle Tuber Viroid (PSTVs) in Potato Growing Areas of Punjab

Potato Spindle Tuber Viroid (PSTVs) infection in potato fields of Punjab was determined by mechanical transmission and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR). Potato plants and tubers showing symptoms of PSTVd were selected and transported to lab for indexing. Sap extracts prepared from symptomatic leaves and tubers of potato plants when mechanically inoculated on leaves of young tomato seedlings showed symptoms like epinasty and rugosity after 10 days of inoculation. PSTVd was further detected in infected samples when RT-PCR assay was performed using viroid specific primers. PSTVd results in loss of tuber yield up to 59% and severe infection resulted in to complete destruction of susceptible plants. This study has proven incidence and prevalence of PSTVd in potato growing areas of Punjab.