First report of tomato yellow leaf curl begomovirus on Capsicum annuum in Spain
In southern Spain, tomato crops have been affected by tomato yellow leaf curl begomovirus (EPPO A2 quarantine pest) since 1992. In 1997, the virus was also found on bean crops (see EPPO RS 99/129). In summer 1999, sweet pepper plants (Capsicum annuum) grown in a glasshouse in Almería showed clear leaf interveinal and marginal chlorosis, and upward curling of leaflet margins. Samples were tested (Southern blot hybridization and PCR), and revealed the presence of tomato yellow leaf curl begomovirus (Israeli type of isolate: TYLCV-Is). This is the first time that tomato yellow leaf curl begomovirus has been detected in capsicum crops in Spain. Further studies are continuing to determine whether the presence of TYLCV-Is is responsible for the development of symptoms as described above.
Sources
Reina, J.; Morilla, G.; Bejarano, E.R.; Rodríguez, M.D.; Janssen, D. (1999) First report of Capsicum annuum plants infected by tomato yellow leaf curl virus.
Plant Disease, 83(12), p 1176.