English abstract
Begomoviruses, consisting of single strand DNA viruses (ssDNA), belong to the family Geminiviridae and cause main problems to the world agriculture. Tomato yellow leaf curl disease (TYLCD) is one of the tomato diseases causing destruction to the tomato production in Oman and is caused by diverse begomovirus strains. In the present study, seventy seven tomato plants showing yellowing, curling, crumpling and stunting from Al-Batinah, A'Dakhiliyah, Khasab and Dhofar governorates of Oman were collected. Virus isolates consisting of coat protein of TYLCV, coat protein and nuclear shuttle protein of Mungbean yellow mosaic India virus (MYMIV) and tomato leaf curl betasatellite (ToLCB) were amplified, cloned and sequenced. The sequence analysis showed that 81% of collected samples were infected with monopartite begomovirus TYLCV followed by 29% plants infected with a bipartite begomovirus MYMIV and 42% of the plants were associated with tomato leaf curl betasatellite (ToLCB). However, 29% of tomato plants contained TYLCV, MYMIV and ToLCB as a mixed infection. Although, both begomoviruses and the betasatellite have been reported from different hosts in Oman, this is the first study to show mixed infection by the monopartite and bipartite begomoviruses and betasatellite on tomato crop in the Sultanate. Mixed infection may result in serious effects on tomato production in Oman.
