Tomato leaf curl Jeskei virus

The causative agent of this disease is the Begomovirus jeskei virus, which belongs to the Geminiviridae family. This viral pathogen causes systemic infection in host plants, significantly interfering with normal physiological processes such as development and nutrient uptake. It is an economically significant pathogen in various agricultural regions.

The primary host range includes Solanaceous plants, with a strong preference for tomatoes. The virus can also be maintained in reservoir weed hosts, which play a critical role in the virus's life cycle by serving as a bridge for infection during periods when host crops are not available.

Symptoms of the disease are characterized by severe leaf curling, wrinkling, and yellowing of the foliage. Infected plants display stunted growth with shortened internodes, which gives them a bushy appearance. Fruit production is drastically impaired, and the resulting fruit may be small, distorted, and of poor commercial quality.

The development and transmission of the virus are entirely dependent on the whitefly Bemisia tabaci. This insect vector acquires the virus while feeding on infected plant sap and transmits it to healthy plants. Outbreaks are most common in greenhouses and open fields during hot, dry seasons, which favor rapid proliferation of whitefly populations.

Management and prevention of Begomovirus jeskei require an integrated approach due to the lack of chemical treatments for viral diseases:

• Strict control of whitefly populations using integrated pest management strategies.
• Implementation of exclusion methods like insect-proof netting in greenhouses.
• Regular weeding to eliminate alternative host reservoirs around planting areas.
• Selection of virus-resistant tomato varieties if available for the specific region.
• Rapid rogueing and destruction of symptomatic plants to reduce the local viral inoculum.