Abstract

JACOBO-VILLEGAS, Omar; VALDOVINOS-PONCE, Guadalupe; RAMIREZ-ROJAS, Sergio  and  HERNANDEZ-JUAREZ, Camilo. Search for sources of resistance to Poinsettia mosaic virus in wild poinsettia plants. Rev. mex. fitopatol [online]. 2015, vol.33, n.2, pp.219-231. ISSN 2007-8080.

Poinsettia, as an improved species, is one of the most economically important ornamental plants worldwide. In 2013, the value of poinsettia production in Mexico was higher than 416 million pesos; however, this amount can be reduced by PnMV, which has been reported in some countries of the Americas, Asia and Europe inducing symptoms that affect its marketing. Taking into account that Mexico imports improved varieties of poinsettia for production and marketing, and that these varieties were developed originally from wild plants collected by Robert Poinsett in Mexico and sent them to USA, the objective of this research was to search for a virus resistant source in wild poinsettia plants. Symptomless wild poinsettia plants and plants with symptoms associated with virus were collected in four states of Mexico. DAS-ELISA and RT-PCR were done in order to determine the virus presence as well as mechanical and graft inoculations. Results showed that the wild poinsettia plants are non-hosts for PnMV, so they may be a source of resistance to this virus. This is the first report of PnMV in improved poinsettia plants in Mexico.

Keywords : Euphorbia pulcherrima; resistance; virus.