Identification of Chilli leaf curl virus and associated betasatellite infecting Osteospermum fruticosum in Rajasthan, India

A monopartite begomovirus associated with betasatellite was identified from Osteospermum fruticosum (Cape Daisy) showing severe yellowing vein net symptoms in Rajasthan, India through molecular characterization. The DNA-A shared the highest nucleotide (96.61%) identity to Chilli leaf curl Ahmedabad virus (KM880103), while the betasatellite depicted the highest sequence similarity (99.28%) to Chilli leaf curl betasatellite (JF706231, 99.28%). Based on the sequence identity with other begomoviruses known to date, they were recognized as Chilli leaf curl virus (CDI, MH355641) and Chilli leaf curl betasatellite (CDB1, MH355642), respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed that DNA-A (CD1) clustered with ChiLCV Goa (KP235539), whereas the betasatellite (CDB1) clustered with ChiLCB Jodhapur (JF70623). Recombination events were observed among the clades of ChiLCV, showing intragenic recombination in Rep (C1) and coat protein (V1/AV1) regions. To our knowledge, this is the first report of ChiLC begomovirus strain affecting O. fruticosum.