Use of an infectious cDNA clone of pepper veinal mottle virus to confirm the etiology of a disease in Capsicum chinense

The pepper cultivar Yellow Lantern, one of the spiciest pepper varieties, is a local germplasm of Capsicum chinense, cultivated exclusively on Hainan Island, China. However, this variety is susceptible to viral diseases that severely affect its production. In this study, we report that pepper veinal mottle virus (PVMV) is associated with foliar chlorosis and rugosity symptoms in Yellow Lantern. To verify this correlation, we constructed a full-length cDNA clone of a PVMV isolate named HNu. The virus progeny derived from the cDNA clone replicated and moved systemically in the pepper, inducing the same symptoms as those induced by PVMV-HNu in Yellow Lantern peppers in the field. The results support that PVMV-HNu is the causal agent of foliar chlorosis and rugosity disease in Yellow Lantern. This knowledge will help in the diagnosis and prevention of disease caused by PVMV. Furthermore, the cDNA clone serves as a reverse genetic tool to study the molecular pathogenesis of PVMV.