Journal of Plant Pathology & Microbiology

Abstract

Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus: A Serious Threat to Tomato Plants World Wide

Jolly Basak

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is one of the widely grown crops worldwide. It is consumed in various forms and has excellent nutritional values. Presently, this crop is facing a serious threat to its yield and survival because of Geminivirus infection. One of the Geminivirus species hampering tomato productions world-wide is Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV). Tomato yellow leaf curl disease is one of the most destructive plant diseases destroying the tomato crops globally. It has spread to many countries worldwide including Southern, Central and Northern parts of America, Southern Asia, Africa and Mediterranean basin. TYLCV genome consists of a circular single stranded DNA of 2.7 kb in size and occasionally contains beta satellite of 1.3 kb. TYLCV genome encodes six open reading frames, of which two are in the viral orientation and four are in the complementary orientation. TYLCV is transmitted by the insect vector Bemisia tabaci, commonly known as the silverleaf white fly. This review provides an overview of Geminiviruses with special emphasis on TYLCV, virus vector relationship between TYLCV and white fly, different strains of TYLCV, its genome organization and replication, present status of its spread in different parts of the world and strategies employed for controlling it. The knowledge about the recent progress in the study of TYLCV would help develop novel strategies for its control in agriculture.