Incidence of cotton leaf curl Gezira virus and the associated alphasatellites and betasatellites in crops and ornamental plants in southern Iran

Begomoviruses are responsible for many destructive diseases in a number of crops and vegetables in central and southern Iran. In this study, viruses belonging to the species Cotton leaf curl Gezira virus and alphasatellites and betasatellites associated with them were identified infecting sunflower, marshmallow, and okra in the Kerman and Khuzestan provinces (southeastern and southern Iran, respectively). Cotton leaf curl Gezira virus (CLCuGeV) genomes identified in three hosts shared 96.7–99% pairwise identities. Two alphasatellite molecules belonging to the species Cotton leaf curl Gezira alphasatellite (recovered from okra) and Gossypium darwinii symptomless alphasatellite (recovered from sunflower and marshmallow) as well as two betasatellite molecules belonging to the species Tomato leaf curl betasatellite (recovered from marshmallow) and Okra leaf curl Oman betasatellite (recovered from Okra) shared < 96 and 97% pairwise identities with the corresponding isolate sequences in respective species available in GenBank. Agroinoculation of okra and sunflower plants with the CLCuGeV construct in the presence or absence of Okra leaf curl Oman betasatellite indicated that the presence of the satellite enhances the induced symptoms by the helper virus. The CLCuGeV infection of sunflower and marshmallow coupled with the detection of associated alphasatellites and betasatellites are reported for the first time. Considering the subtropical climate in most agricultural regions of Iran and neighboring countries, as well as the detection of CLCuGeV and associated satellite molecules in plant species, vegetables, and ornamental plants, it is likely there will be more incidences of the virus and associated satellites in various crops, vegetables, and ornamental plants in southern Iran.