Tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., is an important vegetable in Brazil but presents serious problems concerning pathogen infections, mainly viruses. The viruses infecting tomato in Brazil belong to the genera Begomovirus, the most common and Potyvirus, Cucumovirus, Tospovirus and Tobamovirus. In the state of Ceará, although there are reports about the incidence of different viruses in plantations of tomato in the Chapada da Ibiapaba, the main producer of the state, there is a lack of information on the current situation of begomovirus in that region. The present work aimed to investigate the occurrence of begomovirus in tomato plantations of Ibiapaba region; to verify the presence of infected weeds; and to evaluate artificial transmission of begovomovirus from tomatoes or weeds to tomatoes. Serological tests and PCR revealed the presence of begomovirus in 'Alambra', 'Densus', 'Monalisa', 'Santa Clara', Sheila', 'Sofia', 'Raisa-N' and 'TY- Fanny' cultivars and hybrids most cultivated in the sampled counties. Besides begomovirus, Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) and Potato virus Y (PVY) were also detected in the region. The weeds species Amaranthus spinosus, A. viridis, Ageratum conyzoides and Bidens pilosa were found to be hosts of begomovirus hosts. The virus was transmitted by grafting and mechanical transmission among tomato plants. Begomovirus transmission from infected weeds to tomato plants occurred by grafting. The survey revealed that begomovirus was predominant in the tomato plantations in the Ibiapaba region and that the weeds can be sources of begomovirus to tomato plantations.
Lycopersicon esculentum; tomato viruses; survey; hosts for begomovirus; virus transmission
