A New Begomovirus Inducing Yellow Mottle in Okra Crops in Mexico is Related to Sida yellow vein virus

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench), an annual vegetable of African origin, has been cultivated in Mexico for 3 decades. Since 2000, the most important okra-producing areas in the states of Guerrero and Morelos have been affected by a disease causing yellow streak and severe distortion of fruits, a bright yellow mottle, and curling and distortion of leaves. These symptoms and the presence of whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci Gennadius) suggest a viral etiology. Samples of symptomatic plants from three localities, Iguala (Guerrero), Mazatepec, and Xochitepec (Morelos) were collected in November 2004 and tested for the presence of viruses. Single whitefly transmissions, grafting experiments, and experimental inoculation of healthy plants by biolistic delivery of DNA extracts from symptomatic plants consistently induced yellow mottle in okra plants and suggest the presence of a DNA virus. Total DNA extracts from symptomatic plants from field and greenhouse conditions were analyzed by Southern blot hybridization...