The four Ws of viruses: Where, Which, What and Why - A deep dive into viral evolution.

For centuries, humanity has been captivated by evolution, seeking to unravel the origins of life and identify past patterns with future applications. Viruses, despite their obligate parasitic nature, are the most adaptable biological entities, surpassing cellular life in their variability and adaptability. While many theories about viral evolution exist, a consensus on their origins remains elusive.

Conjoined partners: efficacy and side effects of grafting and dsRNA application on the microbial endophyte population of grapevine plants inoculated with two esca-related fungal pathogens.

Grafting has been exploited since 7000 BC to enhance productivity, disease resistance, and adaptability of cultivated plants to stressful conditions especially in woody crops such as grapevine (Vitis spp.). In contrast, the application of sequence specific double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) to control fungal pathogens and insect pests has only been recently developed.

Evolution of a novel engineered tripartite viral genome of a torradovirus.

Viruses in the include monopartite and bipartite genomes, suggesting the possibility to study members of this family to experimentally address evolutionary transitions resulting in multipartitism. Torradoviruses are bipartite members of the family characterized by a genus-specific 5' open reading frame, named P21, encoded by RNA2. Here, in a study originally intended to verify if P21 can function , we attempted to provide P21 from a third P21-expressing construct under control of the 35S promoter and containing the 5'- and 3'-untranslated regions (UTRs) of wild-type (WT) RNA2.

Grafting with non-suckering rootstock increases drought tolerance in Corylus avellana L. through physiological and biochemical adjustments.

Physiological and molecular mechanisms underpinning plant water stress responses still need deeper investigation. Particularly, the analysis of rootstock-mediated signals represents a complex research field, offering potential applicative perspectives for improving the adaptation of fruit crops to environmental stresses. Nonetheless, fundamental knowledge on this subject needs to be widened, especially in some woody species, including European hazelnut (Corylus avellana L).

CRISPR/Cas9-driven double modification of grapevine MLO6-7 imparts powdery mildew resistance, while editing of NPR3 augments powdery and downy mildew tolerance.

The implementation of genome editing strategies in grapevine is the easiest way to improve sustainability and resilience while preserving the original genotype. Among others, the Mildew Locus-O (MLO) genes have already been reported as good candidates to develop powdery mildew-immune plants. A never-explored grapevine target is NPR3, a negative regulator of the systemic acquired resistance.

Harnessing microbes as sun cream against high light stress.

Plants rely on solar energy for growth through photosynthesis, yet excessive light intensity can induce physiological damage. Despite the considerable harm, inadequate attention has been directed toward understanding how plant-associated microorganisms mitigate this stress, and the impact of high light intensity on plant microbial communities remains underexplored. Through this Viewpoint, we aim to highlight the potential of microbial communities to enhance plant resilience and understand how light stress can shape plant microbiome.

A polyphasic molecular approach to characterize a collection of grapevine endophytic bacteria with bioprotective potential.

Aims: The work presented here was conducted to characterize the biodiversity of a collection of bacterial isolates, mainly wood endophytes, as part of a research project focused on exploring their bioprotective potential for postharvest biological control of fruits.

Methods And Results: This work was the basis for the development of a tailored method combining 16S rDNA sequencing and Rep-PCR to differentiate the isolates and identify them to genus level or below. More than one hundred isolates obtained from wood and roots of different grapevine genotypes were cultured on appropriate growth media and then subjected to the specified multistep molecular identification.

Deciphering the interaction of bacteria inoculants with the recipient endophytic community in grapevine micropropagated plants.

Engineering the plant microbiome with beneficial endophytic bacteria can improve the growth, health, and productivity of the holobiont. Here, we administered two beneficial bacterial strains, VR04 sp. and GR12 sp.

Comparative effects of drought stress on leaf gas exchange, foliar ABA and leaf orientation in four grapevine cultivars grown in Northern Italy.

Drought tolerance varies greatly across Vitis vinifera cultivars, depending on physiological responses and structural and morphological adaptations. In this study, responses to water stress were examined in three extensively cultivated varieties from Northern Italy. Over the course of two seasons, mature potted vines were subjected to a 12 or 13-day period of water restriction.

Glutamate dehydrogenase in "Liverworld"-A study in selected species to explore a key enzyme of plant primary metabolism in Marchantiophyta.

In plants, glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) is an ubiquitous enzyme that catalyzes the reversible amination of 2-oxoglutarate in glutamate. It contributes to both the amino acid homeostasis and the management of intracellular ammonium, and it is regarded as a key player at the junction of carbon and nitrogen assimilation pathways. To date, information about the GDH of terrestrial plants refers to a very few species only.

Characterisation and functionalisation of chitosan nanoparticles as carriers for double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecules towards sustainable crop protection.

The need to minimise the impact of phytosanitary treatments for disease control boosted researchers to implement techniques with less environmental impact. The development of technologies using molecular mechanisms based on the modulation of metabolism by short dsRNA sequences appears promising. The intrinsic fragility of polynucleotides and the high cost of these techniques can be circumvented by nanocarriers that protect the bioactive molecule enabling high efficiency delivery to the leaf surface and extending its half-life.

The good, the bad and the cryptic: The multifaceted roles of mycoviruses and their potential applications for a sustainable agriculture.

Mycoviruses are natural inhabitants of fungi and have been identified in almost all fungal taxonomic groups. Mycoviruses that infect phytopathogenic fungi are now becoming a hot research area due to their potential for the biocontrol of important plant pathogens. But, before considering a mycovirus for biocontrol, we should be fully aware of the effects it induces in a fungal host and its interactions with other viruses, fungal strains and even the host plants.

The 'microbiome counterattack': Insights on the soil and root-associated microbiome in diverse chickpea and lentil genotypes after an erratic rainfall event.

Legumes maintain soil fertility thanks to their associated microbiota but are threatened by climate change that causes soil microbial community structural and functional modifications. The core microbiome associated with different chickpea and lentil genotypes was described after an unexpected climatic event. Results showed that chickpea and lentil bulk soil microbiomes varied significantly between two sampling time points, the first immediately after the rainfall and the second 2 weeks later.

Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Sardinia Virus Increases Drought Tolerance of Tomato.

Drought stress is one of the major physiological stress factors that adversely affect agricultural production, altering critical features of plant growth and metabolism. Plants can be subjected simultaneously to abiotic and biotic stresses, such as drought and viral infections. Rewarding effects provided by viruses on the ability of host plants to endure abiotic stresses have been reported.

The Role of Italy in the Use of Advanced Plant Genomic Techniques on Fruit Trees: State of the Art and Future Perspectives.

Climate change is deeply impacting the food chain production, lowering quality and yield. In this context, the international scientific community has dedicated many efforts to enhancing resilience and sustainability in agriculture. Italy is among the main European producers of several fruit trees; therefore, national research centers and universities undertook several initiatives to maintain the specificity of the 'Made in Italy' label.

The C4 protein of tomato yellow leaf curl Sardinia virus primes drought tolerance in tomato through morphological adjustments.

Viruses can interfere with the ability of plants to overcome abiotic stresses, indicating the existence of common molecular networks that regulate stress responses. A begomovirus causing the tomato yellow leaf curl disease was recently shown to enhance heat tolerance in tomato and drought tolerance in tomato and and experimental evidence suggested that the virus-encoded protein C4 is the main trigger of drought responses. However, the physiological and molecular events underlying C4-induced drought tolerance need further elucidation.

Microbe-assisted crop improvement: a sustainable weapon to restore holobiont functionality and resilience.

In the past years, breeding programs have been mainly addressed on pushing the commercial features, forgetting important traits, such as those related to environmental stress resilience, that are instead present in wild relatives. Among the traits neglected by breeding processes, the ability to recruit beneficial microorganisms that recently is receiving a growing attention due to its potentiality. In this context, this review will provide a spotlight on critical issues of the anthropocentric point of view that, until now, has characterized the selection of elite plant genotypes.

Breeding toward improved ecological plant-microbiome interactions.

Domestication processes, amplified by breeding programs, have allowed the selection of more productive genotypes and more suitable crop lines capable of coping with the changing climate. Notwithstanding these advancements, the impact of plant breeding on the ecology of plant-microbiome interactions has not been adequately considered yet. This includes the possible exploitation of beneficial plant-microbe interactions to develop crops with improved performance and better adaptability to any environmental scenario.

New insights from the virome of Halyomorpha halys (Stål, 1855).

Halyomorpha halys (Stål, 1855) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), the brown marmorated stink bug, is an invasive pentatomid native to East-Asia, and introduced worldwide in recent times. It is a polyphagous pest with approximately 300 host plants, which, due to its plasticity, reproductive and feeding behavior, long-distance flight, and walking as well as human-mediated dispersal ability, is able to cause significant economic and ecological damage. In several cases pest control mediated by insecticide treatments leads to unsatisfactory efficacy, mostly due to insect recovery ability.

Novel sustainable strategies to control Plasmopara viticola in grapevine unveil new insights on priming responses and arthropods ecology.

Background: Reduction of fungicide consumption in agriculture is globally recognized as a priority. Government authorities are fostering research to achieve a reduction of risks associated with conventional pesticides and promoting the development of sustainable alternatives. To address these issues, in the present study, alternative protocols for the control of downy mildew infection in grapevine were compared to the standard protocol.

Grapevine virome and production of healthy plants by somatic embryogenesis.

Grapevine (Vitis spp.) is a widespread fruit tree hosting many viral entities that interact with the plant modifying its responses to the environment. The production of virus-free plants is becoming increasingly crucial for the use of grapevine as a model species in different studies.

Abiotic Stress and Belowground Microbiome: The Potential of Omics Approaches.

Nowadays, the worldwide agriculture is experiencing a transition process toward more sustainable production, which requires the reduction of chemical inputs and the preservation of microbiomes' richness and biodiversity. Plants are no longer considered as standalone entities, and the future of agriculture should be grounded on the study of plant-associated microorganisms and all their potentiality. Moreover, due to the climate change scenario and the resulting rising incidence of abiotic stresses, an innovative and environmentally friendly technique in agroecosystem management is required to support plants in facing hostile environments.