A novel monopartite begomovirus and satellites associated with yellow mosaic disease ofSidaspp. in India

Begomoviruses (familyGeminiviridae) cause severe diseases in many economically important crops and non-cultivated plants in the warmer regions of the world. Non-cultivated weeds have been reported to act as natural virus reservoirs. In January 2016,Sidaplants with yellow mosaic symptoms were found at the edge of an agricultural field in Gujarat, India. Sequence analysis of the viral genomic components cloned from a diseasedSidaplant indicated the presence of a distinct monopartite begomovirus (proposed as sida yellow mosaic Gujarat virus) along with a betasatellite (ludwigia leaf distortion betasatellite) and an alphasatellite (malvastrum yellow mosaic alphasatellite). Our results emphasize that this weed may harbor a begomovirus-alphasatellite-betasatellite complex. This host serves as a potential source of virus inoculum, which can be transmitted by whiteflies to other cultivated crops.

Automated summary

Begomoviruses, transmitted by whiteflies, can cause severe diseases in economically important crops and non-cultivated plants, with non-cultivated weeds serving as natural virus reservoirs. A new monopartite begomovirus was discovered in Gujarat, India, in January 2016, indicating that weeds may harbor a complex of begomovirus-alphasatellite-betasatellite and serve as a potential source of virus inoculum.