Abstract
A virus isolate causing chlorotic vein-banding (CVB) symptoms on groundnut, serologically related to peanut chlorotic streak virus (PCISV), was collected from farmers' fields in the Rayalaseema area of Andhra Pradesh (A.P.). It was named PCISV-CVB. Commercial groundnut field surveys for the occurrence of the disease during the rainy seasons of July-November of 1986, 1987, and 1990 indicated its wide distribution in the Rayalaseema area although the disease incidence was <1 % at many surveyed places except at some places in the district of Anantapur (<1-60%). The virus-infected groundnut plants, mapped in three commercial fields near Mudigubba, Anantapur district, during the 1990 rainy season, were clustered towards the edges of the fields. Pupalia leppaceae, Cassia auriculata, and Rhyncosia capitata were identified as alternate weed hosts of the virus. Groundnut varieties ICGV 86522 and ICG (FDRS)4 were found to be resistant to PCISV-CVB infection. The virus decreased the shoot length by 44 and 64%, and dry weight of pods by 38 and 85%, in late and early infected plants, respectively.