Tomato leaf curl Rajasthan virus

The causative agent of the disease is Begomovirus solanumrajasthanense, a member of the Geminiviridae family. This single-stranded DNA virus is known to cause severe yellowing and curling symptoms in solanaceous plants, significantly disrupting plant metabolism and reducing photosynthetic capacity.

The primary hosts of this virus include crops such as tomatoes, eggplants, and chili peppers. It is a major concern in agricultural regions where favorable climatic conditions allow for the proliferation of its insect vectors, leading to localized epidemics and severe economic losses.

Symptoms typically manifest as yellow mosaic patterns, severe leaf curling, leaf size reduction, and crinkling of the foliage. Plants infected early in their growth cycle exhibit stunted height, shortened internodes, and often fail to produce fruit, appearing bushy and severely distorted compared to healthy specimens.

The development and dissemination of the virus are strictly dependent on the whitefly (Bemisia tabaci), which acts as a persistent vector. The insect acquires the virus by feeding on infected plants and transmits it to healthy ones. High ambient temperatures and drought-like conditions are known to favor the rapid spread of whitefly populations.

Given the lack of antiviral therapies for plants, management strategies focus exclusively on prevention and vector control. Essential measures include:

• eradicating weed reservoirs that host the virus;
• installing fine-mesh insect screens in greenhouses;
• executing robust insecticide programs to limit whitefly pressure;
• selecting resistant or tolerant plant cultivars;
• maintaining field hygiene and spatial separation from older infected crops.