Molecular characterization of recombinant citrus yellow mosaic badnavirus infecting Coorg mandarin exhibiting yellow mosaic disease symptoms in high humid tropic region of Western Ghats

The citrus yellow mosaic badnavirus (CMBV) is one of the most important viruses causing yellowing and declining in different Citrus species. The Coorg mandarin, pomelo and grapefruit showing the yellow mosaic disease symptoms were collected from different famers field during the survey. Further viral pathogenicity was confirmed through grafting on Rangpur lime as root stock. To confirm the identity of the pathogen, total genomic DNA was extracted from Coorg mandarin, Pomelo and grapefruit were subjected to PCR amplification using ORF III specific primers. Further the complete genome of CMBV amplified using different sets of specific primers were cloned and sequenced. The sequence analysis showed that CMBV from the Coorg mandarin showed maximum nt identity of 94.5% with CMBV-AL infecting acid lime. Recombination and GC plot analysis showed that the recombination occurred at in low GC content regions of genome of the CMBV and are derived from the previously reported Badnaviruses infecting different Citrus species.