Turnip leaf curl disease associated with two begomoviruses in south-eastern Iran

Abstract

A handful of geminiviruses have been associated with turnip leaf curl disease. As part of our turnip surveys in Kerman province (south-eastern Iran), turnip samples showing mild leaf curl disease were collected and screened for turncurto-and begomoviruses by PCR. In four out of seven samples, we identified co-infection with begomoviruses of the species Tomato yellow leaf curl virus and Watermelon chlorotic stunt virus. Neither of these two begomovirus species have been described to be associated with turnip leaf curl disease in Iran. Using infectious clones and agroinoculation of turnip, tomato and watermelon seedlings, our results indicated that single and/or co-agroinoculation of plants with the two begomovirus constructs result in symptoms with different severity in turnip, tomato and watermelon.