In the course of a study to assess virus incidence in natural plant resources of high altitude areas in western Himalayan region of India, some leaves of B. crispa with mild chlorosis and mosaic symptoms were collected from Kinnaur area (altitude 2500 m amsl) of Himachal Pradesh during 2003. The infected leaves were tested by ELISA for presence of Tomato ringspot virus (DSMZ, Braunschweig, Germany), Cucumber mosaic virus and potyviruses (Agdia, Elkhart, USA). A positive result was obtained with the potyvirus group-specific antibodies. To confirm the identity of the virus detected, leaf samples were tested with the help of universal potyvirus primer pair (P9502 & CPUP), which amplify part of the coat protein gene and 3'-UTR of the viral genome (Van der Vlugt et al., 1999). An amplification product of 800bp was obtained after RT-PCR (Fig. 1). The DNA product was cloned, sequenced and submitted to the EMBL Database (Accession number AJ889836). The sequence showed 95% homology to Chilli vein-banding mottle virus; a strain of Chilli veinal mottle virus reported from Japan (GenBank accession number AB012221). This is a new report of this potyvirus occurring on Buddleja crispa growing in nature and therefore, this plant should be taken into account as a potential reservoir of Chilli veinal mottle virus infecting chilli crops.

Figure 1 (left): RT-PCR amplification of potyvirus partial coat protein gene and 3'-UTR from infected Buddleja crispa. Left lane, 100 bp DNA ladder; Right lane, RT-PCR amplified product (approx. 800 bp).