Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus
Class: Viruses
Common Name
Tomato yellow leaf curl virus
Potential Hosts
Tomato, bean, and pepper
Who am I?
Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) is a member of the begomoviruses genus. TYLCV is mainly spread by whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci) and is common around the world. TYLCV has a major influence on worldwide tomato production; it is responsible for the reduction of tomato yields and the quality of tomatoes.
At an early stage of the growing season, young infected tomato plants exhibit severe stunting with one or more symptoms, including: a “bushy appearance” caused by smaller than usual leaflets, yellowing and curling of leaves, and yield reductions.
Control measures
There are no treatments for viruses. Infected cucurbits plants cannot be cured; therefore, the focus should be on prevention.
Cultural
*Use plant varieties and seeds that are resistant to the virus.
*Grow Inside Structures: Keep the structure closed and the nets free of holes.
*Remove weeds. Several kinds of weeds can act as hosts that allow the virus to remain present between seasons. This can cause contamination of crops in the following season and make the virus control difficult.
*Use pest monitoring techniques such as yellow sticky traps to aid in keeping track of the whitefly population.
Conventional (chemical)
Preventing and stopping the TYLCV from spreading is done by focusing on eliminating whiteflies, which can be difficult since a whitefly population can quickly develop a resistance to conventional chemical treatments.
The following are insecticides used in one or more parts of the world: cypermethrin, deltamethrin, bifenthrin, diafenthiuron, thiamethoxam, imidacloprid, acetamiprid, spiromesifen, buprofezin, cyantraniliprole, spirotetramat, and synthetic terpenes extract of chenopodium.
Organic
Azadirachtin, Fatty acid potassium SAL, Beauveria bassiana strain GHA, neem oil, and other plant oils
Biological
Amblyseius swirskii is a commercially available predatory mite that is capable of significantly controlling a whitefly population.
Try to avoid frequent use of organophosphate, carbamates, or pyrethroids insecticides; they will eliminate natural whitefly enemies and pollinators.
*Names marked in red are considered to be highly poisonous to beneficial insects.
*Names marked in green are considered to be organic and IPM (integrated pest management) compatible.
Caution and careful notice should be taken when using any plant protection products (insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides). It is the grower’s sole responsibility to keep track of the legal uses and permissions with respect to the laws in their country and destination markets. Always read the instructions written on labels, and in a case of contradiction, work in accordance to the product label. Keep in mind that information written on the label usually applies to local markets. Pest control products intended for organic farming are generally considered to be less effective in comparison to conventional products. When dealing with organic, biologic, and to some extent a small number of conventional chemical products, a complete eradication of a pest or disease will often require several iterations of a specific treatment or combination of treatments.