Tomato leaf curl Solanum-Arusha virus

Begomovirus solanumarushaense is a viral plant pathogen belonging to the Geminiviridae family. As a whitefly-transmitted begomovirus, it poses a significant threat to various solanaceous crops, often leading to severe stunting, leaf distortion, and total crop failure in susceptible tomato cultivars.

The primary hosts for this virus include tomatoes, peppers, and various wild solanaceous species. These weeds serve as crucial reservoirs for the virus, maintaining its presence in the ecosystem throughout the year and acting as the starting point for epidemics when environmental conditions become favorable.

Symptoms typically include yellow mosaic, upward curling of the leaf margins, and thickening of leaf tissues. Affected plants exhibit shorter internodes, leading to a stunted or bushy growth habit. Furthermore, reproductive structures are often aborted, resulting in significantly reduced fruit yield and poor quality of the produce.

The transmission of this virus is exclusively associated with the silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia tabaci. The virus is acquired by the insect while feeding on infected sap and is then transmitted to healthy plants. The spread is highly correlated with the population dynamics of the vector, which thrives in warm and dry climatic conditions.

Integrated pest management (IPM) is essential for controlling this disease. Effective strategies include the use of fine-mesh greenhouse netting to exclude whiteflies, the application of targeted insecticides, and the eradication of weed hosts within and around cultivation sites. Additionally, planting resistant or tolerant crop varieties remains the most sustainable approach for long-term mitigation.