Detection of Tomato yellow leaf curl Sardinia virus in Tunisia

Abstract

Surveys were undertaken for tomato yellow leaf curl viruses in the main Tunisian tomato‐growing areas in fields and plastic houses. Symptoms included yellowing, leaf curling and stunting. Collected samples were submitted to molecular analysis using two approaches: (1) hybridization tests with two DNA probes corresponding to an intergenic region derived from a cloned dimer of an Egyptian full‐length TYLCV and to the coat region of a Tunisian TYLCV isolate; (2) PCR amplification coupled to RFLP allowing both identification and clustering of Tunisian isolates. Only Tomato yellow leaf curl Sardinia virus was detected in Tunisia.

First Report of Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus‐Israel Species Infecting Tomato, Pepper and Bean in Tunisia

“…Then many studies have been carried out trying to identify the pathogen molecularly and cluster it. All studies showed that only the TYLCSV‐[Sic] was present in the symptomatic tomato, pepper and bean samples tested all over the country (Fekih‐Hassen et al., 2003; Gorsane et al., 2004, 2005). The sequencing of the Tunisian isolate full‐length genome has been carried out and confirmed the first results TYLCSV‐[TN] ().…”

“…In Tunisia, the disease was observed in 1983 by electronic microscopy (Cherif and Russo, 1983). The first molecular characterizations were carried out by Fekih‐Hassen et al. (2003).…”

Complete Nucleotide Sequence and Construction of an Infectious Clone of a Tunisian Isolate of Tomato yellow leaf curl Sardinia virus

“…On the basis of sequence identity of the CP gene and the intergenic region, Tunisian TYLCV isolates are considered to be members of the TYLCSV‐Sic viral group (Fekih‐Hassen et al., 2003; Gorsane et al., 2004).…”

“…The presence of geminate particles was revealed in 1983 by Cherif and Russo (1983) in tomato plants showing TYLCD symptoms. Since the first molecular evidence of TYLCSV spreading in Tunisia (Fekih‐Hassen et al., 2003), attempts have been made to characterize this virus molecularly and biologically. The virus has been detected in tomato, pepper and bean (Fekih‐Hassen et al., 2003; Gorsane et al., 2004).…”

“…Since the first molecular evidence of TYLCSV spreading in Tunisia (Fekih‐Hassen et al., 2003), attempts have been made to characterize this virus molecularly and biologically. The virus has been detected in tomato, pepper and bean (Fekih‐Hassen et al., 2003; Gorsane et al., 2004). Based on symptoms in tomato and sequence analysis of both the coat protein (CP) gene and the intergenic region, Tunisian isolates, regardless of host plant origin, cluster in the TYLCSV‐Sicilian group (TYLCSV‐Sic; Gorsane et al., 2004).…”