Survey of begomoviruses and the crinivirus, tomato chlorosis virus, in solanaceous in Southeast/Midwest of Brazil

Abstract

The golden mosaic (begomovirus) and the yellowing (crinivirus) diseases are among the main viral diseases occurring in solanaceous crops in Brazil. A survey of viruses associated with both diseases was conducted on cultivated solanaceous plants from 2013 to 2017 to study their diversity and distribution in the Southeast/Midwest regions of Brazil. Samples from potato, eggplant, sweet pepper and tomato plants were collected in fields of seven Brazilian states (Bahia, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Minas Gerais, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo) and in the Federal District. Total RNA/DNA was extracted and tested by RT-PCR/PCR to detect the crinivirus tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) and begomoviruses, respectively. Representative amplicons were directly sequenced for virus identification. Out of 343 samples, 54 were positive for ToCV: 38.6% in potato, 0.9% in sweet pepper, and 20.9% in tomato. For begomovirus detection, 234 samples were positive. In potato and sweet pepper plants, only tomato severe rugose virus (ToSRV) was detected, while four begomoviruses were detected in tomato plants. ToSRV was detected in 80.1% of the tomato samples, and was the predominant begomovirus. These results indicate a low diversity of crinivirus and begomovirus species infecting cultivated solanaceous crops in Brazil during the survey period.