Rapid LAMP-Based Detection of Mixed Begomovirus Infections in Field-Grown Tomato Plants

Phytopathogenic viruses severely impact major crops, leading to significant social and economic losses. Among them, begomoviruses pose a serious threat to key cultivars in subtropical and tropical regions despite ongoing efforts to limit their spread. Early detection of these pathogens in field crops and associated weeds is essential for the timely implementation of management strategies to mitigate viral disease outbreaks. In this study, we applied a sensitive loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for the detection of tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), tomato latent virus (TLV), and tomato mottle Taino virus (ToMoTV) in agro-inoculated Nicotiana benthamiana and Solanum lycopersicum. Importantly, LAMP assays also enabled the identification of these viruses in both symptomatic and asymptomatic field-grown tomato plants, detecting a higher number of infected plants than dot blot hybridization and PCR. Field surveys further revealed mixed infections of TYLCV, TLV, and ToMoTV within individual tomato plants, uncovering a complex epidemiological scenario.