Tomato dwarf leaf curl virus, a new bipartite geminivirus associated with tomatoes and peppers in Jamaica and mixed infection with tomato yellow leaf curl virus

Abstract

Genomic characterization using nonradioactive probes, polymerase chain reaction with degenerate primers for whitefly transmitted geminiviruses and nucleotide sequencing were used to describe a new bipartite geminivirus, associated with dwarfing and leaf curling of tomatoes and peppers in Jamaica. Partial DNA-A and DNA-B clones were obtained. DNA sequence analysis showed that tomato and pepper samples have a similar geminivirus associated with them. Nucleotide sequence identity > 92% between the common regions of DNA-A and DNA-B confirmed the bipartite nature of the Jamaican geminivirus isolates. Nucleotide sequence comparisons of DNA-A and DNA-B with those of geminiviruses representing the major phylogenetic groups of Western Hemisphere geminiviruses showed the greatest similarity to potato yellow mosaic virus and members of the Abutilon mosaic virus cluster of geminiviruses. This new virus is given the name tomato dwarf leaf curl virus (TDLCV) because of the dwarfing and leaf curling symptoms associated with infected tomato plants. Polymerase chain reaction and Southern hybridization showed mixed infections of TDLCV with tomato yellow leaf curl virus from Israel in 16% of the field samples of tomatoes and peppers.

Ongoing geographical spread of Tomato yellow leaf curl virus

“…Other independent introductions of TYLCV into the Caribbean likely occurred when TYLCV-IL moved from East-Asia between 2006 and 2011 (Figs. 1-3), and TYLCV-Mld arrived there from the Western Mediterranean between 1990 and 2009 (Bird et al, 2001;Mcglashan et al, 1994;Roye et al, 1999;Zambrano et al, 2007).…”

“…It was previously suggested that this introduction was via the Dominican Republic or Cuba, possibly in a shipment of tomato seedlings from Israel . In 1993, TYLCD decimated tomato production in the Dominican Republic and from this focal point, the virus moved into Jamaica and Cuba (Mcglashan et al, 1994;Polston et al, 1999;Roye et al, 1999;Zubiaur et al, 2004).…”

The Current Status of New Emerging Begomovirus Diseases on Jatropha Species from India

“…The symptoms of diseases is showing on the leaves like mosaic, yellow mosaic, blistering, leaf curl, leaf distortion and stunting of whole Jatropha plant ( Figure 3). The natural infection of begomovirus has been reported in Jatropha species across the world: Jatropha mosaic virus on J. gossypifolia in Jamaica and Puerto Rico [10][11][12][13][14], African cassava mosaic virus reported on J. multifida in East and West Africa [15]. Two strains of African cassava mosaic virus on J. curcas from Kenya were reported [16,17].…”

Begomovirus associated with alternative host weeds: a critical appraisal

“…These crops are known to be hosts to several begomoviruses in Jamaica (Roye et al 1999). Brown et al (2007) reported the lethal yellowing (16Sr IV) group of phytoplasmas affecting the weeds Emilia fosbergii and Synedrella nodiflora (both family Asteraceae) in Jamaica.…”