Archivio Journal of Plant Pathology

Abstract:

A multiplex PCR method was developed to identify simultaneously either single or multiple infections with members of the Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) complex. Several sets of species-specific primers, designed from sequenced genomes of TYLCV from the Mediterranean region (Sicily, Israel and Spain), were tested using plants infected with Egyptian and Tunisian isolates. The results show that this multiplex PCR is rapid, simple and a useful alternative to conventional tools such as PCR-RFLP or PCR-sequencing for typing virus isolates. Furthermore, this approach revealed evidence of recombination among Tunisian TYLCV genomes.