PhD / In South Africa, tomato (Solanum /ycopersicum) is an important vegetable crop with considerable nutritional and economic value. Over the last decade, begomovirus (family Geminiviridae) infections associated with an upsurge of the whitefly vector, Bemisia tabaci, on tomato crops has become a serious threat to sustainable tomato production in South Africa. Begomovirus disease control in tomato is challenging and requires an integrated "pest" and "vector" management strategy, primarily based on the use of chemical and cultural practices aimed at reducing the virus vector as well as the use of resistant cultivars. Development of effective disease management practices for South Africa therefore requires detailed information on the complex vector-virus-host cropping system interactions. The aim of the study presented in this thesis was to investigate the South African whitefly vector/begomovirus/tomato-host pathosystem, with emphasis on the virus and vector diversity and distribution, and the identification of possible resistance sources. A survey of tomato-infecting begomoviruses was conducted during a six-year period (2006-2011 ). Techniques used to determine begomoviruses diversity included whole genome amplification using PCR, RCA (rolling circle amplification), conventional as well as next generation sequencing and development of a RCA-RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism) for rapid assessment of diversity. Sequence comparisons and phylogenetic analyses revealed the presence of three new monopartite begomovirus species, in addition to ToCSV, all of which belong to the African/South West Indian Ocean (SWIO) begomovirus clade. Recombination analysis indicated that all four tomato-infecting begomovirus species appear to be complex recombinants and suggests that they have evolved within the sub-Saharan Africa region, along with other African begomoviruses and that they are most likely indigenous to the region. Several weed species were also confirmed as symptomless begomovirus reservoirs, supporting their role in the emerging begomovirus epidemics in South Africa.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:7379 |
| Date | 07 November 2012 |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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