The first report of Tomato leaf curl Palampur virus (ToLCPMV) from the watermelon fields in the north of Khouzestan province

Tomato leaf curl Palampur virus (ToLCPMV) is a novel Begomovirus from Geminiviridae family with a bipartite genome and Bemisia tabaci is its uniqe vector. This virus was reported on tomato in the subtropical regions of India for the first time in 2008 and then from Pakistan, Oman and Iraq. In order to identify this virus, about 80 samples of watermelon with viral symptoms were collected from watermelon fields in the north regions of Khouzestan province (Dezfoul, Shoush and Andimeshk) in 2021. PCR was performed with Begomovirus degenerate primer (PCRv181/Bc) and 550 bp fragment of pre-coat protein gene on DNA-A was amplified in the infected samples. Comparison of the nucleotide sequence of this region in NCBI confirmed the presence of ToLCPMV in the studied cities. PCR was able to amplify a part of DNA-B (a part of Movement protein gene and intergenic region) using species-specific primers in 61 watermelon samples. The determined nucleotide sequences showed an average of 90.03-96.67 and 91.43-97.28% nucleotide and amino acid identity with the other NCBI sequences, respectively. The isolates of Khouzestan province showed the most and the least similarity to the isolates of Jiroft city (Kerman province) and the isolates of India and Pakistan. ToLCPMV has been reported from Hormozgan, Kerman, Fars, Yazd and Khorasan Razavi provinces in terms of tomato, types of squash, cucumbers, melons and beans, as well as a watermelon sample in Khash city of Sistan and Balouchestan province. In the present study, the distribution and the amount of damages of ToLCPMV was too much in some areas such as Andimeshk. This is the first report of the widespread occurrence of ToLCPMV in the watermelon fields in Khouzestan province.