Detection and characterization of an isolate of Tomato mottle mosaic virus infecting tomato in China

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants exhibiting severe leaf distortion, mottle and systemic crinkling symptoms were identified in Hainan province in China in 2016. To survey and control the disease, it is necessary to identify and characterize the pathogen causing the disease. Dot enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed that the crude saps of the infected tomato samples reacted positively with the monoclonal antibody against Tobacco mosaic virus which indicated that one or more tobamoviruses are likely associated with the disease. RT-pCR and DNA sequence analysis results further elucidated that Tomato mottle mosaic virus (ToMMV) in Tobamovirus was the pathogen causing the mottle disease in tomato. We amplified and sequenced the full-length sequence of the genome which showed the highest nucleotide identity with ToMMV YYMLJ and ToMMV TiLhaLJ isolates. The putative virus isolate was named ToMMV Hainan. Biological indexing studies showed that ToMMV Hainan can infect Nicotiana benthamiana, Capsicum annuum and Solanum lycopersicum showing serious symptoms. This was the first identification and characterization of ToMMV infecting tomato in Hainan of China.