HortScience (2005) 40, 1405-1407

Rejane L. Guimarães and Hector E. Flores (2005)
Tropaeolum mosaic potyvirus (TropMV) reduces yield of Andean mashua (Tropaeolum tuberosum) accessions
HortScience 40 (5), 1405-1407
Abstract: Quechua farmers have cultivated mashua (Tropaeolum tuberosum Ruiz and Pavon) and other tuber crops for thousands of years. The practice of trading seed tubers may have contributed to dispersal of viral diseases, such as the tropaeolum mosaic virus (TropMV). We surveyed 17 accessions of mashua collected from Quechua farmers in the provinces of Cuzco and Ayacucho, Peru. Most cross-reacted with the TropMV antibody and showed viral disease symptoms. Significant differences were observed between accessions from Cuzco and Ayacucho, with respect to virus infection and tuber yield under greenhouse conditions. Of the accessions from Cuzco, 87% displayed viral symptoms, while only 22% from Ayacucho showed symptoms. Fewer tubers from Cuzco generated mature plants. In turn, those mature plants produced lower tuber yields. The practice of trading seed tubers may be advantageous for promoting crop diversity but can be harmful when diseased seed tubers are being traded. A program to generate and distribute virus-free seed tubers among Andean farmers would contribute to higher crop yields while preserving local customs and crop diversity.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
surveys/sampling/distribution
damage/losses/economics

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Tropaeolum mosaic virus	Tropaeolum (genus)	Peru