PJB-2017-542
Frequent Occurrence of begomoviruses in fruits of Tomato plants Affected With tomato Leaf Curl Disease in Pakistan
Asif Rasheed
Abstract
Tomato (Solanumlycopersicum) isconsidered particularly a vital crop because of its nutritional and economic value. However the diseases produced by the begomoviruses (from Geminiviridaefamily) are causing a serious threat to sustainable production of tomato in Pakistan and therefore, are associated with severe economic losses. Though the begomoviruses infections are frequently identified in tomato leaves but our research aimed the efforts for the identification and determination of begomoviruses diversity in tomato fruit in Pakistan. To evaluate the frequency and geographic occurrence tomato yellow curl leaf disease in tomato, plants were collected from across the Punjab in 2014. Analysis of the plants by diagnostic PCR showed the presence of this virus in fruits of 13 out of 25 plants examined. In this study, begomoviruses were detected using the virus (alpha-satellite) specific universal primers. Alpha-satellite was cloned, sequenced and used for phylogenetic and recombination detection analysis. Comparison of nucleotide sequences revealed high identity with other already submitted genome of alpha-satellites. The control on begomoviruses infections in tomato is a challenging task that requires an integrated disease management strategy which are based on the use of pesticides and cultural practices that can reduce the virus spread through its insect vector (Whitefly Bemisiatabaci) as well as the use of resistant cultivar. This study was conducted in an effort to gainimprovedknowledge of pathogenic virus satellite molecules that may guide towards a unique technique for reducing the loss of agricultural yield, particularly tomato, because of these begomoviruses.
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