Outbreak of Cucumber mosaic virus and Tomato spotted wilt virus on Bell Pepper Grown in Jeonnam Province in Korea

In August 2006, a severe disease incidence showing mosaic and/or necrotic symptoms on two bell pepper varieties including red-colored 'Special' and yellow-colored 'Fiesta' was observed in a greenhouse located in Gwangyang, Jeonnam province, Korea. To identify causal viruses, total RNAs were extracted from 11 fruit samples with and without symptoms. Specific oligonucleotide primers for Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Pepper mottle virus (PepMoV), Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) and Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) were designed based on the sequences available on GenBank. Database comparisons of the deduced amino acid sequences of each sequence produced 100% and 98% matches with nucleocapsid protein gene of TSWV (Acc. No. ABE11605) and coat protein gene of CMV (Acc. No. DQ018289), respectively, suggesting that the symptoms on bell pepper fruits might be caused by the infection of CMV and TSWV. To our knowledge this is the first report of necrotic as well as mosaic virus disease on bell pepper fruits by the infection of CMV and TSWV in Jeonnam province, Korea.