Banana streak viruses
Author(s): R. Selvarajan, ICAR-NRCB, Tiruchirapalli, India
Source: Viruses, 2016, vol. 8 (6) no. 177
Banana streak viruses (BSVs)
This is a complex of different plant viruses from the genus Badnavirus which infect mainly bananas and plantain (Musa). The plants are stunted with the leaves broken or continuous chlorotic or with necrotic streaks. Severe symptoms consist of necrosis of various parts of the plant and lead to plant death.
The virus particles are bacilliform, without envelop (about 30 x 140 nm). The banana streak viruses have been reported from Africa, Asia, Australia and South America. They are transmitted through the propagation of bananas (planting suckers or tissue culture) and alternatively by mealybugs like Planococcus citri. Management involves mainly the use of virus-free planting materials.
DNA sequences of Banana streak viruses can become part of the banana genome and are then called "endogenous BSV" (eBSV). These sequences are usually defective. However, some cases of infective eBSVs have been reported in Musa balbisiana and these can be transmitted vegetatively by suckers or by mealybugs.
The main virus species of the Banana streak complex are:
• Badnavirus alphavirgamusae
• Badnavirus betavirgamusae
• Badnavirus deltavirgamusae
• Badnavirus gammavirgamusae
For a review see Bhat et al. (2016).
