Serological and Biological Comparisons of Blackeye Cowpea Mosaic and Cowpea Aphid-borne Mosaic Potyvirus Isolates Seed-borne in Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. Germplasm

Serological and biological comparisons were made among 45 seed-borne isolates of blackeye cowpea mosaic (BICMV) and 54 seed-borne isolates of cowpea aphidborne mosaic (CAbMV) potyviruses derived from cowpea seedlots or young nursery-grown seedlings comprising 2112 germplasm accessions or pre-introduction seedlots of Vigna unguiculata. Isolates were identified by DAS-ELISA using polyclonal immunoglobulin G specific for these viruses. Twenty isolates of BICMV and 32 isolates of CAbMV were also compared by ACP-ELISA with selected monoclonal antibodies and by SDS-immunodiffusion. By all approaches, isolates of BICMV were clearly distinguished from CAbMV isolates. Isolate comparisons on selected cowpea genotypes (TVu-401, TVu-1582, TVu-2657, and TVu-3433) partitioned most isolates into two distinct groups. A few isolates seed-borne in Indian cv. Pusa Phalguni, however, were clearly BICMV by all serological tests, but behaved as CAbMV in definitive cowpea genotypes. Although BICMV is generally considered to be a 'new world virus', both BICMV and CAbMV occurred in V. unguiculata seedlots originating in 'old-world regions', including Afghanistan, Botswana, Nigeria, Senegal, and South Africa. Seedborne CAbMV was isolated from 6 of 155 tested US V. unguiculata Germplasm accessions originating, respectively, in Afghanistan (2), Botswana (2), India (1), and Pakistan (1).