Variability in components of seed yields from groundnut plants infected with Cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus

Abstract

Groundnut is a major oilseed crop of global importance. It is consumed in various forms by humans and forms an integral component of livestock feed. However, Cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus (CABMV) causes significant yield losses in susceptible cultivars. To date, adoption of resistant cultivars is the best management option against the pathogen. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the effect of Cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus on the seed weights of some groundnut cultivars. The experiment was arranged as completely randomised design with five replications. Five groundnut cultivars were infected with CABMV at 10 days after sowing through mechanical inoculation. Uninfected plants of each cultivar served as control. Disease severity, number of pods per plant, pod weight per plant and seed weights were recorded. Of the five cultivars, SAMNUT 26 maintained a severity score of 2.6 while SAMNUT 21 and SAMNUT 23 elicited a symptom score of 3.0. In SAMNUT 23, SAMNUT 25 and SAMNUT 26, the seed weights of healthy plants were statistically similar to those infected with CABMV. However, SAMNUT 26 infected with CABMV gave the highest seed weight (20.4 g). These observations indicated that SAMNUT 26 was highly tolerant to CABMV infection. Further work is recommended in order to ascertain possible potential of SAMNUT 26 against severe yield losses induced by CABMV infection.