Investigation of Peanut Stripe Virus Disease at Markham-Ramu Valley in Papua New Guinea.

Abstract

A survey was conducted to investigate the presence of Peanut Stripe Virus in the Markham-Ramu Valley of the Morobe Province, the major peanut growing areas of Papua New Guinea. Peanut leaf samples with apparent virus-like symptoms, infected soybean leaves and peanut seed samples were collected from different fields from the survey sites and tested through indirect ELISA using polyclonal antibody. Only four out of 59 samples showed positive reaction to the presence of viruses. The observation of symptoms did not indicate the presence of PStV even though the presence of Aphis craccivora was confirmed. These preliminary findings need to be investigated further by collecting larger numbers of samples including alternative hosts from all over the peanut growing areas of the country, and more specifically, the areas bordering Indonesia, using monoclonal antibody and/or polymerase chain reaction (PCR).