Leaf curl disease of tomato in Haldwani (Uttarakhand), India region is caused by a begomovirus with satellite molecule DNA β

The leaf curl disease of tomato was observed in the Haldwani region of Uttarakhand, India during 2004–2007 with an average disease incidence of 49.8 and 73.7% during the month of October and February, respectively. The virus isolate from the infected tomato plants was transmissible to healthy tomato plants by whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci), and the inoculated plants showed typical leaf curl symptoms with a latent period of 16–18 days. The total DNA was extracted from the infected plants and subjected to polymerase chain reaction to amplify the genomic components. The coat protein (CP) gene of ～750 nt was amplified using a set of CP gene specific primer and sequenced (EU847240). Sequence analysis of 701 nt from the N′ terminal region revealed that it had a sequence identity of more than 90% with other isolates/strains of Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus. A satellite molecule, DNA β of ～1.4 kb was also amplified using universal DNA β-specific primers, cloned and sequenced (EU847239). The isolated DNA β was 1370 nt in length and had a nucleotide sequence identity of 91–93% with DNA β associated with cowpea severe leaf curl and tomato leaf curl disease (TomLCD) reported from India and Pakistan, respectively, and followed by 79% with DNA β associated with TomLCDs reported from Rajasthan. This result showed that the satellite DNA β was associated with TomLCD in Haldwani.