Evidence of the Association of Solanum leaf curl lakshmangarh virus with a Weed Plant Solanum nigrum in Rajasthan, India

Background: Over the past few decades, there has been more interest in geminiviruses, especially begomoviruses, as many of the diseases they cause have now reached epidemic proportions. Weed plants serve as an alternative host for begomoviruses and may allow the transmission of begomovirus to other horticulture crops and medicinal plants thus enhances the host range of these viruses in different regions of the India. The main aim of the study is the identification and molecular characterization of a begomovirus infecting a weed plant Solanum nigrum. Methods: DNA was extracted and subjected to Polymerase Chain Reaction. Positive samples were cloned and sequenced and nucleotide identity was revealed. Further phylogenetic analysis was carried out to trace the evolutionary history of the identified begomovirus. Results: A begomovirus was found associated with the disease. The associated begomovirus was identified as a Solanum Leaf Curl Lakshmangarh Virus (SoLCLV) based on nucleotide sequence of the viral genome (JN009667). Sequence analysis of JN009667 was done by using BLASTn revealed the highest 96% sequence identity with Cucurbita pepo begomovirus [Gorakhpur coat protein, EU366164]. Conclusion: A new disease of Solanum nigrum with characteristic mild leaf curl and yellowing symptoms was observed in 2010 in plants grown as common herb in the fields of Lakshmangarh, Rajasthan, India. This is the first report of yellow leaf curl disease of Solanum nigrum in Rajasthan province of India.