Search for alternative hosts of banana bunchy top virus in Australia

Abstract

A range of plant species that are either cultivated, naturalised or indigenous to sub-tropical eastern Australia and are also able to sustain feeding by Pentalonia nigronervosa, the vector of banana bunchy top virus (BBTV), were investigated as possible hosts of the virus. Alocasia brisbanensis, Alpinia arundelliana. Alpinia caerulea, Alpinia zerumbet, Canna indica, Colocasia esculenta, Hedychiumcoronarium and Heliconia psittacorum cv. Red Parakeet were aphidinoculated with BBTV and none became systemically infected. Furthermore, no BBTV was detected in surveys of field plants of Alocasia brisbanensis, Alpinia caerulea, Cannaindica, Canna × generalis, Canna × orchiodes,Colocasia esculenta and Strelitzia reginae found growing in or near banana plantations affected by BBTV. It is therefore concluded that hosts other than Musa spp. probably do not play a role as reservoirs of BBTV in Australia.