Cucurbit Leaf Crumple Virus Is Seed Transmitted in Yellow Squash ().

The traditional understanding of begomovirus transmission exclusively through the whitefly (Gennadius) has shifted with findings of seed transmission in some begomoviruses over the last decade. We investigated the seed transmissibility of cucurbit leaf crumple virus (CuLCrV), a bipartite begomovirus that has recently emerged as a severe constraint for yellow squash ( L.) production in the southeastern United States.

Microneedle assisted delivery of the cloned components of cucurbit leaf crumple virus in yellow squash (Cucurbita pepo).

Cucurbit leaf crumple virus (CuLCrV) is among the prominent viruses infecting cucurbits in the USA. Attainable procedures of virus inoculation to crops are prerequisite for screening of resistance against the virus. Because mechanical (non-vector-mediated) infection by cucurbit leaf crumple virus (CuLCrV) is inefficient in economically important crops, screening for CuLCrV resistance is currently laborious and time-consuming using transmission by viruliferous whiteflies.

First Report of Watermelon Crinkle Leaf-Associated Virus-2 (WCLaV-2) in Watermelon () in Georgia, USA.

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is a key horticultural crop in Georgia with farmgate value of 142 million USD (2022 Farm Gate Value Report), yet faces challenges from whitefly-transmitted viruses, especially during periods of elevated whitefly populations in the fall. Foliar symptoms on watermelon plants including yellow mottling and chlorosis, wrinkling, bunching, and upward curling, were observed in experimental fields at UGA Tifton and commercial fields in Colquitt County in the fall of 2023. These were similar to those described for watermelon crinkle leaf-associated viruses (WCLaV-1 and WCLaV-2) from Florida (Hendrick et al, 2021) and Texas (Hernandez et al.

Chitosan coated selenium: A versatile nano-delivery system for molecular cargoes.

The use of nanoscale delivery platforms holds tremendous potential to overcome the current limitations associated with the conventional delivery of genetic materials and hydrophobic compounds. Therefore, there is an imperative need to develop a suitable alternative nano-enabled delivery platform to overcome these limitations. This work reports the first one-step hydrothermal synthesis of chitosan functionalized selenium nanoparticles (Selenium-chitosan, SeNP) that are capable of serving as a versatile nanodelivery platform for different types of active ingredients.

Whitefly-Transmitted Viruses of Cucurbits in the Southern United States.

Cucurbits are economically important crops that are widely cultivated in many parts of the world, including the southern US. In recent years, higher temperatures have favored the rapid build-up of whiteflies in the fall-grown cucurbits in this region. As a result, whitefly-transmitted viruses (WTVs) have severely impacted the marketable yield of cucurbits.

Small RNA Profiling of Cucurbit Yellow Stunting Disorder Virus from Susceptible and Tolerant Squash () Lines.

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 line PI 420328 with tolerance to cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV) were compared with those in Gold Star, a susceptible cultivar.

Persistent, and Asymptomatic Viral Infections and Whitefly-Transmitted Viruses Impacting Cantaloupe and Watermelon in Georgia, USA.

Cucurbits in Southeastern USA have experienced a drastic decline in production over the years due to the effect of economically important viruses, mainly those transmitted by the sweet potato whitefly ( Gennadius). In cucurbits, these viruses can be found as a single or mixed infection, thereby causing significant yield loss. During the spring of 2021, surveys were conducted to evaluate the incidence and distribution of viruses infecting cantaloupe ( = 80) and watermelon ( = 245) in Georgia.

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

Cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus (CCYV) belongs to the genus 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 ( L.

First report of watermelon crinkle leaf-associated virus 1 naturally infecting watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) in Georgia, USA.

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is one of the major vegetable crops grown in Georgia during the spring and summer seasons, contributing $180 million of farmgate value to the state's economy (Georgia Farm Gate Value Report 2019). During the summer of 2021, watermelon plants with foliar symptoms such as yellow mottling, chlorosis, and wrinkling with thickened, bunchy, and upward curling were observed on commercial fields of Georgia, USA. A disease incidence of 15-20% in ~56 ac in Tift county and 10-15% in ~60 ac in Wilcox county was observed.

First report of turnip yellows virus infecting cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) in the USA.

During the spring of 2021, cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) planted in the research farm at the University of Georgia, Tifton, exhibited leaf distortion, yellow and purple discoloration at the leaf margin of older leaves, and severe stunting. Symptoms were present on nearly 30% of the plants in the field.

High Throughput Sequencing-Aided Survey Reveals Widespread Mixed Infections of Whitefly-Transmitted Viruses in Cucurbits in Georgia, USA.

Viruses transmitted by the sweet potato whitefly () have been detrimental to the sustainable production of cucurbits in the southeastern USA. Surveys were conducted in the fall of 2019 and 2020 in Georgia, a major cucurbit-producing state of the USA, to identify the viruses infecting cucurbits and their distribution. Symptomatic samples were collected and small RNA libraries were prepared and sequenced from three cantaloupes, four cucumbers, and two yellow squash samples.

Field Screen and Genotyping of against Two Begomoviruses in Georgia, USA.

The production and quality of (snap bean) have been negatively impacted by leaf crumple disease caused by two whitefly-transmitted begomoviruses: cucurbit leaf crumple virus (CuLCrV) and sida golden mosaic Florida virus (SiGMFV), which often appear as a mixed infection in Georgia. Host resistance is the most economical management strategy against whitefly-transmitted viruses. Currently, information is not available with respect to resistance to these two viruses in commercial cultivars.

First report of cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus in association with other whitefly-transmitted viruses in squash (Cucurbita pepo) in Georgia.

Viruses transmitted by whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci) cause severe damage to cucurbits in the southern United States. In the fall of 2020, samples of squash plants (Cucurbita pepo) exhibiting symptoms of yellow mottle, interveinal yellowing, and leaf crumple were collected from an insecticide trial in Tifton, Georgia. Total nucleic acid was isolated using the MagMAX 96 Viral RNA Isolation Kit (ThermoFisher Scientific) following the manufacturer's instructions but without DNase treatment.