Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam.) is an economically important, annual or perennial tropical-sub tropical root crop. In developing nations,
sweetpotato is ranked as the fifth most important root crop by production and provides a staple food for millions of people in South America, Africa,
Asia and the Pacific. Production of sweetpotato in Fiji is greatly affected by abiotic and biotic factors such fungal, bacterial infections, weeds, pests, and
climatic factors such as flooding, drought and increased salinity levels. Of the stresses highlighted the impact of viral infections on production is the
least understood and studied in Fiji. Like other vegetatively propagated crops, sweetpotato accumulates and perpetuates viral diseases. Several
different viruses are known to infect sweetpotato globally, however, the status of sweetpotato viruses in Fiji remains unknown. Sweet potato leave curl
virus (SPLCV) (Family: Geminiviridae, genus: Begomovirus) are characterized by small, circular, single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) genomes. It has been
shown to significantly reduce quality and yield of sweetpotato. The present study looked at the presence and incidence of SPLCV in sweetpotato
production areas of Fiji. This is the first SPLCV survey in Fiji. The outcomes of the project will support interventions into sweetpotato production
systems and strategies to develop a clean seed system for Fiji.