Chili leaf curl betasatellite is associated with a distinct recombinant begomovirus, Pepper leaf curl Lahore virus, in Capsicum in Pakistan.

Capsium spp. are an important vegetable crop cultivated through Pakistan. Leaf curl disease is the major disease of Capsicum spp. in Pakistan caused by viruses. The disease has previously been shown to be associated with begomoviruses and betasatellites. We have cloned and sequenced a begomovirus and its associated betasatellite from Capsicum originating from central Pakistan. The begomovirus isolated was distinct from all previously characterised viruses and we propose the name Pepper leaf curl Lahore virus (PepLCLV) for this new species. Comparison of the sequence of PepLCLV with previously characterised begomoviruses shows it likely to have resulted from recombination between Papaya leaf curl virus and Chili leaf curl virus (ChiLCV), two species that have previously been identified in Pakistan. The betasatellite associated with PepLCLV in Capsicum was identified as Chili leaf curl betasatellite (ChLCB). This is the first identification of a cognate begomovirus for ChLCB infecting Capsicum, although this betasatellite has been shown in association with ChiLCV infecting potato in Pakistan. PepLCLV is one of an increasing number of monopartite begomoviruses shown to be associated with a betasatellite and one of the numerous species that affect Capsicum. In view of their only having been identified in Pakistan, PepLCLV and ChLCB likely represent a geographically distinct, Capsicum adapted, begomovirus-betasatellite complex.