Improvement of plant biotechnology by transient gene expression owes to the development and refinement of effective tools of transformation.  In Pakistan, Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV) transmitted by Whitefly is one of the major ascending causes of Tomato leaf curl disease (ToLCD) and limited details are available about tomato natural resistance against ToLCNDV. In this study, agroinfiltration that is a rapid, relatively inexpensive and reliable method was employed for introduction of viral clone in tomato leaves for investigation of inherent resistance against ToLCNDV. PCR reaction confirmed the successful transfer of viral genome transformed in Agrobacterium tumefaciens through vacuum infiltration making it a novel study. Out of five locally cultivated cultivars of tomato, Money Maker and Tomato F1 pound were susceptible to ToLCNDV, while remaining three were naturally resistant. Moreover, these susceptible cultivars may also be used for breeding purposes to develop resistance and to increase productivity at commercial level.

Index terms- Agroinfiltration, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Tomato, Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus