Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (Begomovirus solanumflavushuangbaiense)

Begomovirus solanumflavushuangbaiense is a viral pathogen classified under the Geminiviridae family. This virus is a significant agricultural concern, known for causing severe systemic infections that disrupt the normal development and photosynthetic efficiency of host plants.

The primary host range for this virus consists of solanaceous crops. Tomatoes are particularly susceptible, but the pathogen also frequently infects peppers, eggplants, and various weed species that serve as overwintering reservoirs, allowing the virus to persist from season to season.

Plants affected by this virus exhibit several distinct symptoms:

• bright yellowing along leaf margins and between veins;
• upward curling and crinkling of leaf surfaces;
• stunted growth and severe dwarfing of the plant;
• reduced fruit set and deformation of resulting produce.

The transmission of this virus is exclusively dependent on the silverleaf whitefly (Bemisia tabaci). The insect acquires the virus during feeding and remains infectious for the remainder of its life. Consequently, environmental factors such as high temperatures and low humidity, which favor whitefly reproduction, significantly accelerate the spread of the disease.

Effective management strategies require an integrated pest management (IPM) approach. Key tactics include the use of virus-resistant cultivars, rigorous exclusion methods such as fine-mesh screening in greenhouses, and the systematic application of insecticides to control the whitefly population. Furthermore, removing alternate weed hosts near fields is essential for breaking the infection cycle.