The recombinant isolate of cucurbit aphid-borne yellows virus from Brazil is a polerovirus transmitted by whiteflies

The severe yellowing disease (amarelão) on melon plants is a serious problem in Brazil, although the causative agent remained unknown for a long time. Recently, recombinant isolates of cucurbit aphid-borne yellows virus (CABYV) were reported as the possible causative agents of this disease on melon plants. Although aphids are known to be the vectors of the common type of CABYV isolates, almost no aphid colony was observed in the major melon fields in Brazil with high incidence of the severe yellowing disease. In contrast, whiteflies are often abundant. Based on this observation, the hypothesis of the transmission of recombinant CABYV by whiteflies was evaluated. After thorough transmission experiments, we found that this recombinant CABYV isolate was transmitted by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci MEAM1, but not by Aphis gossipii. Furthermore, the host response by whitefly-based inoculation in cucurbits and other indicator plants showed differences in host range when compared to the common type of CABYV. Due to its transmissibility by the whitefly and the distant relationship of the P3/P5 protein to CABYV, the name “cucurbit whitefly-borne yellows virus” is proposed for this recombinant CABYV. This is the second report of polerovirus transmission by the whitefly B. tabaci, following the report of pepper whitefly-borne vein yellows virus.