Molecular detection of a virus infecting carrot and its effect on some cytological and physiological parameters

Bushra Afreen*, Mohd Gulfishan, Geetesh Baghel, Mehar Fatma,

A. Akil Khan and Q. A. Naqvi

Plant Virology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002 India.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: fauzbushy@gmail.com Tel: +91 9997570636.

Accepted 27 April, 2011

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to determine the physiological and cytological changes in carrot (Daucus carota L.) due to infection of cucumber mosaic virus. The virus isolate causing mottling was detected by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) by showing amplification of the expected size of 650 base pair (bp) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) band. Regarding the physiological changes, carbon, nitrogen and protein contents was decreased in infected plants as compared to healthy plants while phosphorous content was increased in diseased plant. In cytological changes, the scattered metaphase was observed in the diseased plant cells. Mitotic index of the diseased cells was decreased while N/C ratio was increased. Chromatin bridges were also observed at anaphase I and II due to infection of cucumber mosaic virus.

Key words:  Physiological changes, cytological changes, Daucus carota.