Crop Resistance to Viral Infections

A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Viruses of Plants, Fungi and Protozoa".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2024 | Viewed by 5752

Special Issue Editor

Plant Pathology Department, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City, Taiwan
Interests: natural virus-resistance source; cross protection; transgenic resistance; plant virus control

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Viral infections cause devastating diseases in many crops. Using virus-resistant varieties is the most simple, effective, and economical way to control viral diseases. Therefore, searching for virus-resistant sources and their incorporation into the cultivated crop by conventional breeding or gene transfer are critical approaches against viral infection. Another way to prevent viral infection is cross protection by a mild virus strain, which does not cause adverse effects to the host crop but confers protection against the related virus strains. A beneficial mild strain can be obtained through natural selection, physical treatment, chemical induction, or genetic modification of viral pathogenicity factors. They have to be evaluated under greenhouse and field conditions, especially for strain-specific protection and synergic reaction with other viruses. Effective control by genetically engineered transgenic resistance has successfully been applied to prevent virus infection. This approach involves transgene construction, transformation, regeneration, and resistance evaluation. Transgenic crops resistant to virus infection have been commercialized for years. However, the long process of development and deregulation hampers the application of this very effective method.

In this Special Issue, we call for papers on both fundamental and applied aspects of crop resistance to viral infections. We welcome all types of manuscripts (e.g., reviews, research articles, and short communications), including novel findings for natural virus-resistant genes, the development and application of beneficial mild viruses, and the generation of transgenic crops resistant to viruses. All this information will help develop valuable strategies to prevent viral infections in crops.

Prof. Dr. Shyi-Dong Yeh
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • viral pathogenicity
  • host–virus interaction
  • virus-resistance gene
  • transgenic resistance
  • attenuated virus
  • cross protection

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 2370 KiB  
Article
Exogenous Application of dsRNA for Protection against Tomato Leaf Curl New Delhi Virus
by Fulco Frascati, Silvia Rotunno, Gian Paolo Accotto, Emanuela Noris, Anna Maria Vaira and Laura Miozzi
Viruses 2024, 16(3), 436; https://doi.org/10.3390/v16030436 - 12 Mar 2024
Viewed by 575
Abstract
Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV) is an emerging plant pathogen, fast spreading in Asian and Mediterranean regions, and is considered the most harmful geminivirus of cucurbits in the Mediterranean. ToLCNDV infects several plant and crop species from a range of families, [...] Read more.
Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV) is an emerging plant pathogen, fast spreading in Asian and Mediterranean regions, and is considered the most harmful geminivirus of cucurbits in the Mediterranean. ToLCNDV infects several plant and crop species from a range of families, including Solanaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Fabaceae, Malvaceae and Euphorbiaceae. Up to now, protection from ToLCNDV infection has been achieved mainly by RNAi-mediated transgenic resistance, and non-transgenic fast-developing approaches are an urgent need. Plant protection by the delivery of dsRNAs homologous to a pathogen target sequence is an RNA interference-based biotechnological approach that avoids cultivating transgenic plants and has been already shown effective against RNA viruses and viroids. However, the efficacy of this approach against DNA viruses, particularly Geminiviridae family, is still under study. Here, the protection induced by exogenous application of a chimeric dsRNA targeting all the coding regions of the ToLCNDV DNA-A was evaluated in zucchini, an important crop strongly affected by this virus. A reduction in the number of infected plants and a delay in symptoms appearance, associated with a tendency of reduction in the viral titer, was observed in the plants treated with the chimeric dsRNA, indicating that the treatment is effective against geminiviruses but requires further optimization. Limits of RNAi-based vaccinations against geminiviruses and possible causes are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Crop Resistance to Viral Infections)
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27 pages, 3978 KiB  
Article
Ecological Interactions among Thrips, Soybean Plants, and Soybean Vein Necrosis Virus in Pennsylvania, USA
by Asifa Hameed, Cristina Rosa, Cheryle A. O’Donnell and Edwin G. Rajotte
Viruses 2023, 15(8), 1766; https://doi.org/10.3390/v15081766 - 18 Aug 2023
Viewed by 1000
Abstract
Analysis of ecological and evolutionary aspects leading to durability of resistance in soybean cultivars against species Soybean vein necrosis orthotospovirus (SVNV) (Bunyavirales: Tospoviridae) is important for the establishment of integrated pest management (IPM) across the United States, which is a leading exporter of [...] Read more.
Analysis of ecological and evolutionary aspects leading to durability of resistance in soybean cultivars against species Soybean vein necrosis orthotospovirus (SVNV) (Bunyavirales: Tospoviridae) is important for the establishment of integrated pest management (IPM) across the United States, which is a leading exporter of soybeans in the world. SVNV is a seed- and thrips- (vector)-borne plant virus known from the USA and Canada to Egypt. We monitored the resistance of soybean cultivars against SVNV, surveyed thrips species on various crops including soybeans in Pennsylvania, and studied thrips overwintering hibernation behavior under field conditions. Field and lab experiments determined disease incidence and vector abundance in soybean genotypes. The impact of the virus, vector, and their combination on soybean physiology was also evaluated. Seed protein, fiber, oil, and carbohydrate content were analyzed using near infra-red spectroscopy. We found that the variety Channel3917R2x had higher numbers of thrips; hence, it was categorized as preferred, while results showed that no variety was immune to SVNV. We found that thrips infestation alone or in combination with SVNV infection negatively impacted soybean growth and physiological processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Crop Resistance to Viral Infections)
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15 pages, 3164 KiB  
Article
P3 and NIa-Pro of Turnip Mosaic Virus Are Independent Elicitors of Superinfection Exclusion
by Haritha Nunna, Feng Qu and Satyanarayana Tatineni
Viruses 2023, 15(7), 1459; https://doi.org/10.3390/v15071459 - 28 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1301
Abstract
Superinfection exclusion (SIE) is an antagonistic interaction between identical or closely related viruses in host cells. Previous studies by us and others led to the hypothesis that SIE was elicited by one or more proteins encoded in the genomes of primary viruses. Here, [...] Read more.
Superinfection exclusion (SIE) is an antagonistic interaction between identical or closely related viruses in host cells. Previous studies by us and others led to the hypothesis that SIE was elicited by one or more proteins encoded in the genomes of primary viruses. Here, we tested this hypothesis using Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV), a member of the genus Potyvirus of the family Potyviridae, with significant economic consequences. To this end, individual TuMV-encoded proteins were transiently expressed in the cells of Nicotiana benthamiana leaves, followed by challenging them with a modified TuMV expressing the green fluorescent protein (TuMV-GFP). Three days after TuMV-GFP delivery, these cells were examined for the replication-dependent expression of GFP. Cells expressing TuMV P1, HC-Pro, 6K1, CI, 6K2, NIa-VPg, NIb, or CP proteins permitted an efficient expression of GFP, suggesting that these proteins failed to block the replication of a superinfecting TuMV-GFP. By contrast, N. benthamiana cells expressing TuMV P3 or NIa-Pro did not express visible GFP fluorescence, suggesting that both of them could elicit potent SIE against TuMV-GFP. The SIE elicitor activity of P3 and NIa-Pro was further confirmed by their heterologous expression from a different potyvirus, potato virus A (PVA). Plants systemically infected with PVA variants expressing TuMV P3 or NIa-Pro blocked subsequent infection by TuMV-GFP. A +1-frameshift mutation in P3 and NIa-Pro cistrons facilitated superinfection by TuMV-GFP, suggesting that the P3 and NIa-Pro proteins, but not the RNA, are involved in SIE activity. Additionally, deletion mutagenesis identified P3 amino acids 3 to 200 of 352 and NIa-Pro amino acids 3 to 40 and 181 to 242 of 242 as essential for SIE elicitation. Collectively, our study demonstrates that TuMV encodes two spatially separated proteins that act independently to exert SIE on superinfecting TuMV. These results lay the foundation for further mechanistic interrogations of SIE in this virus. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Crop Resistance to Viral Infections)
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13 pages, 4381 KiB  
Article
Small RNA Profiling of Cucurbit Yellow Stunting Disorder Virus from Susceptible and Tolerant Squash (Cucurbita pepo) Lines
by Saritha Raman Kavalappara, Sudeep Bag, Alex Luckew and Cecilia E. McGregor
Viruses 2023, 15(3), 788; https://doi.org/10.3390/v15030788 - 19 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2054
Abstract
RNA silencing is a crucial mechanism of the antiviral immunity system in plants. Small RNAs guide Argonaut proteins to target viral RNA or DNA, preventing virus accumulation. Small RNA profiles in Cucurbita pepo line PI 420328 with tolerance to cucurbit yellow stunting disorder [...] Read more.
RNA silencing is a crucial mechanism of the antiviral immunity system in plants. Small RNAs guide Argonaut proteins to target viral RNA or DNA, preventing virus accumulation. Small RNA profiles in Cucurbita pepo line PI 420328 with tolerance to cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV) were compared with those in Gold Star, a susceptible cultivar. The lower CYSDV symptom severity in PI 420328 correlated with lower virus titers and fewer sRNAs derived from CYSDV (vsRNA) compared to Gold Star. Elevated levels of 21- and 22-nucleotide (nt) size class vsRNAs were observed in PI 420328, indicating more robust and efficient RNA silencing in PI 420328. The distribution of vsRNA hotspots along the CYSDV genome was similar in both PI 420328 and Gold Star. However, the 3’ UTRs, CPm, and p26 were targeted at a higher frequency in PI 420328. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Crop Resistance to Viral Infections)
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Review

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13 pages, 6107 KiB  
Review
Development and Application of Attenuated Plant Viruses as Biological Control Agents in Japan
by Yasuhiro Tomitaka, Yoshifumi Shimomoto, Bo-Song Ryang, Kazusa Hayashi, Tomoka Oki, Momoko Matsuyama and Ken-Taro Sekine
Viruses 2024, 16(4), 517; https://doi.org/10.3390/v16040517 - 27 Mar 2024
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Abstract
In 1929, it was reported that yellowing symptoms caused by a tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) yellow mosaic isolate were suppressed in tobacco plants that were systemically infected with a TMV light green isolate. Similar to vaccination, the phenomenon of cross-protection involves a whole [...] Read more.
In 1929, it was reported that yellowing symptoms caused by a tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) yellow mosaic isolate were suppressed in tobacco plants that were systemically infected with a TMV light green isolate. Similar to vaccination, the phenomenon of cross-protection involves a whole plant being infected with an attenuated virus and involves the same or a closely related virus species. Therefore, attenuated viruses function as biological control agents. In Japan, many studies have been performed on cross-protection. For example, the tomato mosaic virus (ToMV)-L11A strain is an attenuated isolate developed by researchers and shows high control efficiency against wild-type ToMV in commercial tomato crops. Recently, an attenuated isolate of zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV)-2002 was developed and registered as a biological pesticide to control cucumber mosaic disease. In addition, attenuated isolates of pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV), cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), tobacco mild green mosaic virus (TMGMV), melon yellow spot virus (MYSV), and watermelon mosaic virus (WMV) have been developed in Japan. These attenuated viruses, sometimes called plant vaccines, can be used not only as single vaccines but also as multiple vaccines. In this review, we provide an overview of studies on attenuated plant viruses developed in Japan. We also discuss the application of the attenuated strains, including the production of vaccinated seedlings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Crop Resistance to Viral Infections)
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