All characterized whitefly-transmitted geminiviruses (begomoviruses) with origins in the New World (NW) have bipartite genomes composed of a DNA-A and DNA-B component. Recently, an NW begomovirus lacking a DNA-B component was associated with tomato leaf curl disease (ToLCD) in Peru, and it was named Tomato leaf deformation virus (ToLDeV). Here, we show that isolates of ToLDeV associated with ToLCD in Ecuador and Peru have a single, genetically diverse genomic DNA that is most closely related to DNA-A components of NW bipartite begomoviruses. Agroinoculation of multimeric clones of the genomic DNA of three ToLDeV genotypes (two variants and a strain) resulted in the development of tomato leaf curl symptoms indistinguishable from those of ToLCD in Ecuador and Peru. Biological properties of these ToLDeV genotypes were similar to those of Old World (OW) monopartite tomato-infecting begomoviruses, including lack of sap transmissibility, phloem limitation, a resistance phenotype in tomato germplasm with the Ty-1 gene, and functional properties of the V1 (capsid protein) and C4 genes. Differences in symptom phenotypes induced by the ToLDeV genotypes in tomato and Nicotiana benthamiana plants were associated with a highly divergent left intergenic region and C4 gene. Together, these results establish that ToLDeV is an emergent NW monopartite begomovirus that is causing ToLCD in Ecuador and Peru. This is the first report of an indigenous NW monopartite begomovirus, and evidence is presented that it emerged from the DNA-A component of a NW bipartite progenitor via convergent evolution and recombination.

In the Dominican Republic (DO), jatropha plants with yellow mosaic symptoms are commonly observed in and around fields of various crop plants. Complete nucleotide sequences of DNA-A and DNA-B components of four bipartite begomovirus isolates associated with symptomatic jatropha plants collected from three geographical locations in the DO were determined. Sequence comparisons revealed highest identities (91 to 92%) with the DNA-A component of an isolate of Jatropha mosaic virus (JMV) from Jamaica, indicating that the bipartite begomovirus isolates from the DO are strains of JMV. When introduced into jatropha seedlings by particle bombardment, the cloned components of the JMV strains from the DO induced stunting and yellow mosaic, indistinguishable from symptoms observed in the field, thereby fulfilling Koch's postulates for the disease. The JMV strains also induced disease symptoms in Nicotiana benthamiana, tobacco, and several cultivars of common bean from the Andean gene pool, including one locally grown in the DO. Asymmetry in the infectivity and symptomatology of pseudorecombinants provided further support for the strain designation of the JMV isolates from the DO. Thus, JMV in the DO is a complex of genetically distinct strains that have undergone local evolution and have the potential to cause disease in crop plants.

Viruses of the species Bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) and Bean common mosaic necrosis virus (BCMNV) were simultaneously detected by the different size of PCR amplicons in lima bean plants (Phaseolus lunatus) displaying deforming mosaic symptoms in Peru. Phylogenetic analysis of partial deduced CP amino acid sequences indicated that the Peruvian BCMV isolates belong to new strains. One isolate differed from the other Peruvian isolates, and also from the ten previously described BCMV strains recognized by responses on differential bean varieties. The sequence of the 3'-proximal part (2547 nucleotides) of the genome confirmed that this isolate also belongs to BCMV.

Interest in industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa) as a potential crop led to establishment of commercial fields in a number of counties in California in 2019 and 2020. Plants in these fields developed different types of virus-like symptoms. The most prevalent type was stunted and bushy plants with distorted, upcurled and yellowed leaves which were similar to those associated with curly top disease (CTD) caused by the beet curly top virus (BCTV). This beet leafhopper-vectored virus is endemic in California, and can cause economic losses to processing tomato production. Using a multiplex PCR test, BCTV infection was detected in 89% of hemp samples with the CTD-like symptoms from Fresno, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties. Other symptom types had low incidence of BCTV infection and were associated with other factors. Hemp plants in California were infected only with the mild-type strains, BCTV-CO and BCTV-Wor, and often in mixed infection (43% of samples). Finally, using an infectious clone of a BCTV-CO isolate from hemp, we demonstrated that agroinoculated hemp plants developed these CTD-like symptoms, thereby fulfilling Koch’s postulates for the disease.