First report of Tomato chlorosis virus on tomato crops in Cyprus
Journal
Plant Pathology
Date Issued
July 18, 2006
DOI
10.1111/j.1365-3059.2006.01423.x
Abstract
In the summer of 2004, yellowing symptoms similar to those caused
by nitrogen and/or magnesium deficiency were observed in field- and
glasshouse-grown tomatoes (
Lycopersicon esculentum
), in the Parekklisia
area of Cyprus. Initially, lower leaves showed extensive interveinal yellowing
with necrotic flecks, brittleness and occasional upward leaf rolling, before
finally the whole plant turned yellow. Similar symptoms were observed
during 2005 in glasshouse tomatoes grown in areas located on the southwest
coastal region of the island. The abundance of whiteflies on the
affected plants suggested the involvement of the whitefly-transmitted
Tomato chlorosis virus
(ToCV) and/or
Tomato infectious chlorosis virus
(TICV), both of the genus
Crinivirus
(Wisler
et al
., 1998).
Leaves of 18 affected plants were collected, total RNA was isolated and
RT-PCR was performed in a single tube using primers HS-11 and HS-12,
followed by a multiplex nested-PCR with primers TIC-3/TIC-4 and ToC-
5/ToC-6, for the detection of TICV and ToCV, respectively (Dovas
et al
.,
2002). A PCR product of 463 bp, corresponding to the HSP 70 gene of
ToCV, was amplified for all tested samples. The sequences of four cloned
PCR products were identical (EMBL accession number AM158958) and
showed 99% nucleotide identity to a ToCV isolate from Florida (accession
number AY903448). ToCV is vectored by
Bemisia tabaci
(
biotypes A
and
B
),
Trialeurodes vaporariorum
and
T. abutilonea
. Although there have
been no systematic studies on whitefly incidence and distribution in Cyprus,
it seems that
B. tabaci
is the predominant species present, as
Tomato
yellow leaf curl virus
(Ioannou, 1985) and
Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder
virus
(Papayiannis
et al
., 2005), vectored by this species, are prevalent in
tomatoes and cucurbit crops, respectively. On the other hand, the
incidence of
Beet pseudo-yellows virus
(transmitted by
T. vaporariorum)
is much lower. This is the first report of ToCV in Cyprus.
by nitrogen and/or magnesium deficiency were observed in field- and
glasshouse-grown tomatoes (
Lycopersicon esculentum
), in the Parekklisia
area of Cyprus. Initially, lower leaves showed extensive interveinal yellowing
with necrotic flecks, brittleness and occasional upward leaf rolling, before
finally the whole plant turned yellow. Similar symptoms were observed
during 2005 in glasshouse tomatoes grown in areas located on the southwest
coastal region of the island. The abundance of whiteflies on the
affected plants suggested the involvement of the whitefly-transmitted
Tomato chlorosis virus
(ToCV) and/or
Tomato infectious chlorosis virus
(TICV), both of the genus
Crinivirus
(Wisler
et al
., 1998).
Leaves of 18 affected plants were collected, total RNA was isolated and
RT-PCR was performed in a single tube using primers HS-11 and HS-12,
followed by a multiplex nested-PCR with primers TIC-3/TIC-4 and ToC-
5/ToC-6, for the detection of TICV and ToCV, respectively (Dovas
et al
.,
2002). A PCR product of 463 bp, corresponding to the HSP 70 gene of
ToCV, was amplified for all tested samples. The sequences of four cloned
PCR products were identical (EMBL accession number AM158958) and
showed 99% nucleotide identity to a ToCV isolate from Florida (accession
number AY903448). ToCV is vectored by
Bemisia tabaci
(
biotypes A
and
B
),
Trialeurodes vaporariorum
and
T. abutilonea
. Although there have
been no systematic studies on whitefly incidence and distribution in Cyprus,
it seems that
B. tabaci
is the predominant species present, as
Tomato
yellow leaf curl virus
(Ioannou, 1985) and
Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder
virus
(Papayiannis
et al
., 2005), vectored by this species, are prevalent in
tomatoes and cucurbit crops, respectively. On the other hand, the
incidence of
Beet pseudo-yellows virus
(transmitted by
T. vaporariorum)
is much lower. This is the first report of ToCV in Cyprus.
Subjects