Detection of tomato leaf curl geminivirus in its vector Bemisia tabaci

Geminiviruses are single-stranded DNA plant infecting viruses that cause major losses in important crops in tropical and subtropical countries. Tomato leaf curl virus (TLCV) belonging to the genera Begomovirus, is a whitefly-transmitted geminivirus that causes a severe leaf curl disease in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). The importance of this disease has prompted a great need for a rapid identification of TLCV in its hosts and vector. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the most sensitive approach to detect a minute amount of viral nucleic acid. It is the most ideal method to amplify geminiviruses as they replicate via a double-stranded, circular DNA form. In this study, geminivirus specific degenerated primers were employed to detect TLCV occurring in its vector whitefly Bemisia tabaci by PCR based approach. One primer pair, amplified TLCV DNA fragment of about 1.1 Kb representing partly replicase gene, intergenic region and partly coat protein gene was used. When a set of primer targeted to the core region of the coat protein gene of geminivirus was used, a PCR amplified fragment of about 0.5 Kb was obtained. This approach is highly useful for an early detection of TLCV occurring in very small amount in the vector B. tabaci. Its implications in geminivirus management strategies and their differentiation and being discussed.