Evidence of infection of cassava plants with the begomovirus passionfruit severe leaf distortion virus in Brazil

Abstract

Symptoms of severe vein clearing, leaf rolling, and blistering were observed in cassava plants in southwestern Bahia State, Brazil. The plants were collected, vegetatively propagated, and kept in a greenhouse. Leaf samples tested positive for begomovirus infection by Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Complete nucleotide sequences of DNA-A and DNA-B of isolate PSLDV-Man04 revealed 99.89 % and 96.2 % identity, respectively, with the bipartite begomovirus passionfruit severe leaf distortion virus (PSLDV) genome. This PSLDV isolate was experimentally transmitted to two and four of the five cassava plants and ten passion fruit plants, respectively, inoculated with Bemisia tabaci Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1). This is the first report of the natural infection of cassava plants by the PSLDV begomovirus in Brazil.