Detection And Identification Of Seed-Borne Viruses From Cowpea (Vigna Unguiculata (L) Walp) Germplasm

Seedlings from 182 cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) pre-introductions/germplasm accessions from 12 countries were tested under greenhouse conditions for six seed-borne viruses. Twenty-one (13.3%) accessions from eight countries were found to be seed-infected with one of the three following viruses: blackeye cowpea mosaic (BlCMV) and cowpea aphid-borne mosaic (CABMV) potyviruses, and cucumber mosaic cucumovirus (CMV). Natural seed transmission incidence of 0-6.9%, 0-13.3%, and 0-2.0% were determined for BlCMV, CABMV and CMV respectively.Another set of 2930 cowpea germplasm accessions, mostly from Botswana and Senegal (Africa), were examined under field conditions for detection and identification of seed-borne viruses. Only CABMV was detected in this material. Most of the lines were free from other viruses reported in cowpea seed. Eight isolates of BlCMV and 28 isolates of CABMV were derived from cowpea pre-introductions/germplasm accessions evaluated under greenhouse and field conditions.