Detection of begomoviruses in Caribbean crops and weeds in the islands of Antigua Barbados and St Kitts & Nevis 211

Pepper, red bean, tomato, squash, string bean, other crops and weeds were collected from Antigua, Barbados, and St. Kitts & Nevis between 1999 and 2001 with the aim of preliminarily identifying the begomoviruses present. Of the samples (460) screened by DNA hybridization 47% (215) produced signals suggestive of begomovirus infection. PCR and partial DNA-A (~1300) nucleotide sequence tentatively identified five distinct begomoviruses from the three Caribbean islands. Tomato mosaic Barbados virus and a previously unreported begomovirus were isolated from Barbados. Potato yellow mosaic virus isolated from Antigua. Tomato yellow leaf curl virus was found in Antigua and St. Kitts and Merremia mosaic leaf curl virus was found on the island of St. Kitts. Tomato mosaic Barbados virus and the new virus were found infecting both crops and weeds in Barbados. This has implications for potential epidemics in a variety of crops in the region.