Abstract

A study was conducted to evaluate the reaction of two local and seven exotic pepper cultivars to four viral diseases in the coastal savanna zone of Ghana. The objective was to evaluate the response of the pepper cultivars to the viruses under natural field conditions. The plants were assessed for symptom severity as well as disease incidence. Symptom expression varied among the cultivars, with severity ranging from 0.5% at 4 Weeks after Transplanting (WAT) to 47.2% at 14 WAT. Disease incidence also varied significantly among the cultivars and ranged from 1.1% at 4 WAT to 61.3% at 14 WAT. Enzyme-Linked Immune Sorbent Assay (ELISA) was performed against PVMV, TMV, CMV and PMMV for each cultivar. The test showed the presence of all four viruses in the leaf extracts, with each cultivar infected by at least one of the four viruses. PVMV and CMV were the predominant viruses identified. Mixed infections of two or more viruses were observed in all the cultivars. TMV was detected in all cultivars except the two hybrids, Sunny F₁ and Forever F₁, while PMMV was detected in only cv. Legon 18 which had a mixed infection of all four viruses.

Keywords:

Capsicum spp, cultivar, disease incidence, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, mixed infection, symptom severity, viruses,

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