First report of tomato yellow leaf curl begomovirus in Mexico
In Mexico, since the introduction of tomato yellow leaf curl begomovirus (EPPO A2 quarantine pest) into Cuba and later Florida (US), tomato and sweet pepper-growing areas of Yucatán Peninsula are being monitored for this virus. Other Geminiviridae such as pepper huasteco, Texas pepper and tomato mottle begomoviruses are also surveyed (using PCR techniques), as they can cause similar symptoms. From December 1996 until March 1999, in most cases diseased samples of tomato or pepper were infected by pepper huasteco or Texas pepper begomoviruses. However, in March 1999, 3 tomato samples collected during 2 seasons (winter 1996 and 1997) in Dizdzantun and Yobain counties (north-east of Mérida, Yucatán) were found infected by tomato yellow leaf curl begomovirus (isolates similar to TYLCV-Is). This is the first report of tomato yellow leaf curl begomovirus in Mexico. It appears that the current incidence of the disease is low and that the virus is spreading slowly, as since this first finding only two more infected samples have been found. However, it is stressed that further studies are needed to confirm the actual distribution of tomato yellow leaf curl begomovirus in Yucatán.
Sources
Ascencio-Ibáñez, J.T.; Diaz-Plaza, R.; Méndez-Lozano, J.; Monsalve-Fonnegra, Z.I.; Argüello-Astorga, G.R.; Rivera-Bustamante, R.F. (1999) First report of tomato yellow leaf curl geminivirus in Yucatán, Mexico.
Plant Disease, 83(12), p 1178.