Bermuda Grass as a Potential Reservoir Host for Grapevine fanleaf virus

Biology and Ultrastructural Characterization of Grapevine Badnavirus 1 and Grapevine Virus G

The biological characteristics of grapevine viruses, such as their transmission and host range, are important for the adoption of successful prophylaxis strategies. The aim of this study was to investigate the traits of two newly described grapevine viruses widely distributed in Croatia, grapevine badnavirus 1 (GBV-1) and grapevine virus G (GVG). The vine mealybug (Planoccocus ficus) proved to be a vector of GBV-1 and GVG capable of vine-to-vine transmission with overall experimental transmission rates of 61% and 14.6%, respectively. Transmission was also demonstrated by grafting, with an overall transmission rate of 53.8% for GBV-1 and 100% for GVG, as well as by green grafting using the T-budding technique. Symptoms of GBV-1 and GVG were not observed on the woody cylinders of the indicators LN 33, Kober 5BB, 110 Richter and cvs. Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Seed transmission and mechanical transmission were not confirmed. Electron microscopy revealed accumulation of GBV-1 particles and viroplasms in the cytoplasm, but no alternations of the cell structure. Infection with GVG revealed the proliferation of tonoplast-associated vesicles inside phloem cells and cell wall thickening.

Wild Radish (Raphanus raphanistrum L.) Is a Potential Reservoir Host of Cucurbit Chlorotic Yellows Virus

Cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus (CCYV) belongs to the genus Crinivirus and is part of a complex of whitefly-transmitted viruses that cause yellowing disease in cucurbits. In the southeastern USA, heavy incidences of CCYV have been observed on all cucurbits grown in the fall. CCYV was detected from wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum L.), a common weed that grows in the southeastern USA by high-throughput sequencing as well as RT-PCR. CCYV sequence from wild radish was 99.90% and 99.95%, identical to RNA 1 and RNA 2 of cucurbit isolates of CCYV from the region. Transmission assays using whiteflies demonstrated that wild radish is a good host for CCYV. Whiteflies were also able to acquire CCYV from wild radish and transmit the virus to cucurbit hosts, which developed typical symptoms associated with CCYV. Using quantitative PCR, the titer of CCYV in wild radish was also estimated to be on par with that of cucurbit hosts of the virus. Whitefly bioassays revealed that wild radish is an acceptable feeding and reproductive host plant. These results indicate that wild radish could serve as a reservoir host for CCYV in the USA and other parts of the world where similar conditions exist.

Severe Stunting Symptoms upon Nepovirus Infection Are Reminiscent of a Chronic Hypersensitive-like Response in a Perennial Woody Fruit Crop

Virus infection of plants can result in various degrees of detrimental impacts and disparate symptom types and severities. Although great strides have been made in our understanding of the virus-host interactions in herbaceous model plants, the mechanisms underlying symptom development are poorly understood in perennial fruit crops. Grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV) causes variable symptoms in most vineyards worldwide. To better understand GFLV-grapevine interactions in relation to symptom development, field and greenhouse trials were conducted with a grapevine genotype that exhibits distinct symptoms in response to a severe and a mild strain of GFLV. After validation of the infection status of the experimental vines by high-throughput sequencing, the transcriptomic and metabolomic profiles in plants infected with the two viral strains were tested and compared by RNA-Seq and LC-MS, respectively, in the differentiating grapevine genotype. In vines infected with the severe GFLV strain, 1023 genes, among which some are implicated in the regulation of the hypersensitive-type response, were specifically deregulated, and a higher accumulation of resveratrol and phytohormones was observed. Interestingly, some experimental vines restricted the virus to the rootstock and remained symptomless. Our results suggest that GFLV induces a strain- and cultivar-specific defense reaction similar to a hypersensitive reaction. This type of defense leads to a severe stunting phenotype in some grapevines, whereas others are resistant. This work is the first evidence of a hypersensitive-like reaction in grapevine during virus infection.

Transmission of Squash vein yellowing virus to and From Cucurbit Weeds and Effects on Sweetpotato Whitefly (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Behavior

Since 2003, growers of Florida watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. and Nakai] have periodically suffered large losses from a disease caused by Squash vein yellowing virus (SqVYV), which is transmitted by the whitefly Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1), formerly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) biotype B. Common cucurbit weeds like balsam apple (Momordica charantia L.) and smellmelon [Cucumis melo var. dudaim (L.) Naud.] are natural hosts of SqVYV, and creeping cucumber (Melothria pendula L.) is an experimental host. Study objectives were to compare these weeds and 'Mickylee' watermelon as sources of inoculum for SqVYV via MEAM1 transmission, to determine weed susceptibility to SqVYV, and to evaluate whitefly settling and oviposition behaviors on infected vs. mock-inoculated (inoculated with buffer only) creeping cucumber leaves. We found that the lowest percentage of watermelon recipient plants was infected when balsam apple was used as a source of inoculum. Watermelon was more susceptible to infection than balsam apple or smellmelon. However, all weed species were equally susceptible to SqVYV when inoculated by whitefly. For the first 5 h after release, whiteflies had no preference to settle on infected vs. mock-inoculated creeping cucumber leaves. After 24 h, whiteflies preferred to settle on mock-inoculated leaves, and more eggs were laid on mock-inoculated creeping cucumber leaves than on SqVYV-infected leaves. The transmission experiments (source of inoculum and susceptibility) show these weed species as potential inoculum sources of the virus. The changing settling preference of whiteflies from infected to mock-inoculated plants could lead to rapid spread of virus in the agroecosystem.

Molecular Characterization of Phylogenetically Distinct Isolates of Grapevine fanleaf virus from Iran Based on 2A(HP) Gene

Movement and coat protein genes from Grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV) isolates have been characterized previously from Iran. In this study, an optimized reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction protocol was established to amplify RNA2 genomic segment corresponding to the hypothetical protein (2A(HP)). The sequence of 2A(HP) was compared with that of previously reported GFLV strains/isolates from other countries which showed 82-86% sequence identities. The 2A(HP) gene from Iran appeared to be standing distinct from other isolates of GFLV when genetic distance- or parsimony-based phylogeneitc analyses were carried out. The present study for the first time reports characterization of Iranian isolate of GFLV based on 2A(HP) gene.

Natural wild hosts of sweet potato feathery mottle virus show spatial differences in virus incidence and virus-like diseases in Uganda

Sweet potato feathery mottle virus (SPFMV, genus Potyvirus) is globally the most common pathogen of sweetpotato. An East African strain of SPFMV incites the severe 'sweetpotato virus disease' in plants co-infected with Sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus and threatens subsistence sweetpotato production in East Africa; however, little is known about its natural hosts and ecology. In all, 2,864 wild plants growing in sweetpotato fields or in their close proximity in Uganda were observed for virus-like symptoms and tested for SPFMV in two surveys (2004 and 2007). SPFMV was detected at different incidence in 22 Ipomoea spp., Hewittia sublobata, and Lepistemon owariensis, of which 19 species are new hosts for SPFMV. Among the SPFMV-positive plants, approximately 60% displayed virus-like symptoms. Although SPFMV incidence was similar in annual and perennial species, virus-like diseases were more common in annuals than perennials. Virus-like diseases and SPFMV were more common in the eastern agroecological zone than the western, central, and northern zones, which contrasted with known incidence of SPFMV in sweetpotato crops. The data on a large number of new natural hosts of SPFMV detected in this study provide novel insights into the ecology of SPFMV in East Africa.

Diversity of Grapevine fanleaf virus isolates from Iran

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) testing of 126 grapevine samples, from vineyards in the northwest region of Iran, detected Grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV) in 33 samples. Total RNA from eight of the infected samples were subjected to reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis using primers which corresponded to the virus coat protein and 3' non coding region of RNA 2. An expected 1620 bp DNA fragment was amplified from all the tested samples. PCR products from isolates B5, S1 and SH3 were cloned and the nucleotide sequences of three clones from each isolate were determined. The sequences showed that a DNA fragment of 1623 bp from isolate S1 and 1629bp from isolates B5 and SH3 were amplified. The fragments covered 1481 nucleotides of the 3' proximal region of the CP gene plus 142 or 148 nucleotides of the 3' non coding region. Alignment of the sequences revealed over 99% identities among clones from each isolate and 83-93% among clones from different isolates. Identities of 83-94% were found between the isolates from Iran and previously reported GFLV strains/isolates. Phylogenetic analysis based on CP sequences showed that isolates S1 and SH3 formed a distinct cluster but isolate B5 clustered with previously reported GFLV strains. This is the first report on sequence analysis of nearly full-length CP cDNA clones of GFLV isolates from Iran.