HTS-Based Diagnostics of Sugarcane Viruses: Seasonal Variation and Its Implications for Accurate Detection.

Rapid global germplasm trade has increased concern about the spread of plant pathogens and pests across borders that could become established, affecting agriculture and environment systems. Viral pathogens are of particular concern due to their difficulty to control once established. A comprehensive diagnostic platform that accurately detects both known and unknown virus species, as well as unreported variants, is playing a pivotal role across plant germplasm quarantine programs.

Detection by next generation sequencing of a multi-segmented viral genome from sugarcane associated with Ramu stunt disease.

Ramu stunt disease of sugarcane was first reported in Papua New Guinea in the mid 1980s. The disease can reduce sugarcane yields significantly and causes severe stunting and mortality in highly susceptible cultivars. The causal agent of Ramu stunt has been investigated but its characterization has not been completed.

Biological and molecular characterization of a novel carmovirus isolated from angelonia.

ABSTRACT A new carmovirus was isolated from Angelonia plants (Angelonia angustifolia), with flower break and mild foliar symptoms, grown in the United States and Israel. The virus, for which the name Angelonia flower break virus (AnFBV) is proposed, has isometric particles, approximately 30 nm in diameter. The experimental host range was limited to Nicotiana species, Schizanthus pinnatus, Myosotis sylvatica, Phlox drummondii, and Digitalis purpurea.

Molecular characterization of Lolium latent virus, proposed type member of a new genus in the family Flexiviridae.

Lolium latent virus (LoLV) was recently detected in the USA for the first time in ryegrass hybrids (Lolium perenne x Lolium multiflorum). The genome of one USA isolate, LoLV-US1, has now been fully sequenced. The positive strand genomic RNA is 7674 nucleotides (nt) long and is organized in five open reading frames (ORFs) encoding the replication-associated protein, the movement-associated triple gene block proteins and the coat protein (CP).