Complete sequences of tomato leaf curl Palampur virus isolates infecting cucurbits in Iran

Abstract

Tomato leaf curl disease (TLCD) and and tomato yellow leaf curl (TYLCD) is caused by a number of begomovirus species that collectively threaten tomato production worldwide. We report here that an ongoing TLCD and TYLCD epidemic in Iran is caused by variants of tomato leaf curl Palampur virus (ToLCPMV), a newly proposed begomovirus species previously only detected in India. Besides infecting tomatoes, we identified ToLCPMV as the causal agent of a cucurbit disease that has devastated greenhouse cucumber and melon farms in Jiroft, southeastern Iran. We found no convincing evidence that the ToLCPMV DNA-B sequences have been derived through inter-species recombination, however, all of the currently sampled ToLCPMV DNA-A sequences are descendents of a sequence that probably arose through recombination between a ToLCNDV isolate and a currently unsampled geminivirus species that falls outside the ToLCNDV-ToLCPMV cluster. The increasing incidence of ToLCPMV in different cultivated species throughout Iran may signal the emergence of a serious new threat to agricultural production throughout the Middle East.

Molecular Characterization of Tomato leaf curl Palampur virus and Pepper leaf curl betasatellite Naturally Infecting Pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) in India

“…We have been able to detect mixed infection of ToLCPMV, ToLCNDV (Accession No: GQ225737) and SLCCNV (Accession No: GQ225733) from pumpkin plants showing yellow vein mosaic symptoms from same field in Varanasi. It is believed that ToLCPMV evolved in a cucurbit host infected with ToL-CNDV and another yet unidentified cucurbit infecting begomovirus [9,7]. Our finding adds strength to this hypothesis.…”

“…PeLCB would have come through whiteflies from the nearby chilli crop that showed severe leaf curl symptoms. Betasatellites are associated with majority of monopartite begomoviruses [15] ToLCPMV is not known to have an associated betasatellite [9,7]. Due to the limited number of clones sequenced or using a restricted primer rather than the universal primer for the detection of DNA-A of begomoviruses, we were unable to detect the presence of any monopartite begomovirus from the same sample.…”

“…ToLCPMV is a recently identified [9] unclassified begomovirus. It is reported only on tomato, cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) and melon (Cucumis melo) [9,7]. This is the first report of ToLCPMV infecting pumpkin.…”

Analysis of watermelon chlorotic stunt virus and tomato leaf curl Palampur virus mixed and pseudo-recombination infections

“…1 a DNA-A WmCSV is a limiting factor for production of watermelons in southern Iran. Of equal importance is ToLCPMV, which affects tomato and cucurbit (except watermelons) in these regions [22,23]. Overlapping host ranges provides ideal conditions for mixed infection in host by both mono-and bipartite begomoviruses [14] and by two distinct bipartite begomoviruses [22].…”

“…Two destructive begomovirus species, WmCSV and ToLCPMV, are a serious constraint for production of these crops in southern and southeastern Iran where their host ranges overlap. Therefore, all economically cucurbitaceous crops are susceptible to infection by ToLCPMV and/or WmCSV in these regions [4,5,22,23,26]. Surveys between 2009 and 2012 in cucurbit growing areas of southern Iran revealed co-infection of a watermelon sample with ToLCPMV and WmCSV.…”