A single gene underlies begomovirus resistance in eggplant

Plant viruses pose a serious and ongoing threat to global agriculture in tropical to temperate regions. Among the most damaging are begomoviruses, a group of DNA viruses spread by whiteflies that infect many important food crops, including eggplant, tomato, pepper, cucurbit, cassava and cotton. Infected plants often develop yellowing and curled leaves, stunted growth and reduced yields, leading to significant economic losses for farmers.