Sida yellow mosaic

The causative agent of the disease is Begomovirus sidaflavamusivi, a member of the Geminiviridae family. As a typical begomovirus, it possesses a single-stranded circular DNA genome. This virus causes systemic infection, spreading through the phloem of host plants and causing significant physiological disruption.

The primary hosts of this virus are plants of the Malvaceae family, particularly weeds of the Sida genus. While it primarily affects wild vegetation, there is a risk of transmission to agricultural crops, making it a subject of interest for phytosanitary monitoring and disease prevention programs in temperate and tropical regions.

Symptoms of the infection manifest as distinct chlorotic mosaic patterns on leaves, characterized by irregular yellow patches or networks. In advanced stages of the disease, foliage may exhibit cupping, curling, or overall stunting. This leads to a reduced photosynthetic capacity, effectively lowering the host plant's vigor and survival rate.

Transmission of the virus is predominantly mediated by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci. The virus is acquired by the insect during feeding and transmitted to healthy plants in a persistent circulative manner. Environmental factors such as high temperature and high humidity significantly contribute to the population explosion of the vector, thereby accelerating the spread of the disease.

Management and prevention strategies focus on limiting the primary sources of inoculum and controlling the insect vector:

• Removal of wild host plants (Sida species) to eliminate the virus reservoir.
• Systematic monitoring and control of whitefly populations using targeted insecticides and biological agents.
• Implementation of agricultural practices such as crop rotation and intercropping to break the virus cycle.
• Stringent quarantine procedures to prevent the introduction of the virus into clean production areas.