February 2013. From Secretariat of the Pacific Community CePaCT Fiji. Attached is a symptom I found on some aibika plants in the field. I tested these for Hibiscus chlorotic ring spot virus (HCRSV) and they were positive, but I suspect there may be multiple infections. Is anyone working on or has worked on viruses infecting aibika. I have plans to run Potyvirus and Potex viruses as there are reports of these infecting aibika. What about other possibilities apart from viral infection? I am developing diagnostic protocols for Abelmoschusspecies and wondering whether there are any research Institutes who are working on the same genus or related family.

A member wrote about a monograph that was produced in the early 90s. A study was done on Aibika/Bele (Abelmoschus manihot) under the EU-funded Pacific Regional Agriculture Programme (PRAP) which resulted in the compilation of an IPGRI monograph put together by the then Technical Adviser of the project, Stephen Preston. This covered the Pacific ACP countries. SPC Library in Nabua would have a copy of this monograph. In it you will find on Pages 57-60 the findings of the virus study conducted in collaboration with Prof. Alan Brunt and Dr Nicola Spence of the Horticulture Research International, UK.

It is also here:

http://www.bioversityinternational.org/fileadmin/bioversity/publications/pdfs/468_Aibika.Bele__Abelmoschus_manihot__L.__Medik.pdf?cache=1350633385