The complete nucleotide sequence of infectious cloned DNA components (A and B) of the causal agent of squash leaf curl disease in the Philippines was determined. DNA‐A and DNA‐B comprise 2739 and 2705 nucleotides, respectively; the common region is 174 bases in length. Five ORFs were found in DNA‐A and two in DNA‐B. Partial dimeric clones containing DNA‐A and DNA‐B, constructed in a binary vector and transformed into Agrobacterium tumefaciens, induced systemic infection in agro‐inoculated pumpkin plants (Cucurbita moschata). The total DNA‐A sequence was most closely related to that of Squash leaf curl China virus (SLCCNV) (88% identity), although the existence of B component of SLCCNV has not been reported. The deduced coat protein was like that of SLCCNV (98% amino acid sequence identity) and the Philippines virus has low sequence identity to Squash leaf curl virus (SLCV) and Squash mild leaf curl virus (SMLCV) (63 and 64% total nucleotide sequence identities, respectively). From these results, we propose that the Philippines virus be designated Squash leaf curl China virus‐[Philippines] (SLCCNV‐[PH]).

Complete nucleotide sequence of infectious cloned DNA of Tomato leaf curl virus from Philippines (ToLCV‐Ph) was determined. The single circular DNA molecule comprises 2755 nucleotides. ToLCV‐Ph DNA contains six open reading frames (ORFs) each capable of encoding proteins with a molecular weight greater than 10 kDa. A partial dimeric ToLCV‐Ph DNA clone was constructed in a binary vector and used to agroinoculate tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Zuikou 102). Typical leaf curl symptoms were observed, showing that the single DNA component is sufficient for infectivity. In total nucleotide sequence comparisons with other geminiviruses, ToLCV‐Ph was most closely related to Ageratum yellow vein virus (AYVV) (79% identity), ToLCV‐Laos (78%), Soyabean crinkle leaf virus‐Thailand (78%) and ToLCV‐Taiwan (77%). The significant but relatively low sequence identity in the genomic DNA between ToLCV‐Ph and other geminiviruses suggests that it is a distinct geminivirus in the genus Begomovirus.

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