Movement of the A-strain maize streak virus in and out of Madagascar.

The maize streak virus belongs in the genus Mastrevirus, in the family Geminiviridae. The A-strain of the virus (MSV-A) is recognised as the principal causative agent of the most severe manifestation of maize streak disease (MSD). This disease continues to be a persistent limitation on maize output across sub-Saharan Africa and the nearby Indian Ocean islands.

First report of Fusarium wilt of Cavendish bananas caused by f. sp. Tropical Race 4 in the Grande Comoros Island.

Fusarium wilt of banana, caused by the soil-borne pathogen f. sp. (Foc), is a major constraint to banana production worldwide (Viljoen .

High-throughput sequencing of complete genomes of ipomoviruses associated with an epidemic of cassava brown streak disease in the Comoros Archipelago.

Using high-throughput sequencing of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), virion-associated nucleic acid (VANA), and double stranded RNAs (dsRNAs), we have determined the complete genome sequences of Comorian isolates of two ipomoviruses, cassava brown streak virus (CBSV) and a divergent isolate of Ugandan cassava brown streak virus (UCBSV-KM) representing a new strain of this virus. While the large ORF of CBSV shares the highest nucleotide sequence identity (95.9%) with a Tanzanian isolate of CBSV, the large UCBSV-KM ORF shares the highest nucleotide sequence identity (77.

Large-scale mitochondrial DNA analysis of native honey bee Apis mellifera populations reveals a new African subgroup private to the South West Indian Ocean islands.

Background: The South West Indian Ocean (SWIO) archipelagos and Madagascar constitute a hotspot of biodiversity with a high rate of endemism. In this area, the endemic subspecies A. m.