Cassava mosaic virus
Cassava mosaic virus is the common name used to refer to any of eleven different species of plant pathogenic virus in the genus Begomovirus. African cassava mosaic virus (ACMV), East African cassava mosaic virus (EACMV), and South African cassava mosaic virus (SACMV) are distinct species of circular single-stranded DNA viruses which are transmitted by whiteflies and primarily infect cassava plants; these have thus far only been reported from Africa. Related species of viruses (Indian cassava mosaic virus, ICMV) are found in India and neighbouring islands (Sri Lankan cassava mosaic virus, SLCMV), though cassava is cultivated in Latin America as well as Southeast Asia. Nine species of cassava-infecting geminiviruses have been identified between Africa and India based on genomic sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. This number is likely to grow due to a high rate of natural transformation associated with CMV. The viruses are members of the family Geminiviridae and the genus Begomovirus. The first report of cassava mosaic disease (CMD) was from East Africa in 1894. Since then, epidemics have occurred throughout the African continent, resulting in great economic loss and devastating famine. In 1971, a resistant line of cassava, the predominant host of the pathogen, was established and used by