Management of air-borne viruses by "optical barriers" in protected agriculture and open-field crops.

The incurable nature of viral diseases and the public awareness to the harmful effects of chemical pest control to the environment and human health led to the rise of the integrated pest management (IPM) concept. Cultural control methods serve today as a central pivot in the implementation of IPM. This group of methods is based on the understanding of the complex interactions between disease agents and their vectors as well as the interactions between the vectors and their habitat.

Ipomovirus--an atypical genus in the family Potyviridae transmitted by whiteflies.

Ipomoviruses (genus Ipomovirus) are whitefly-transmitted viruses assigned to the family Potyviridae. They are characterised by filamentous flexible particles and a positive-sense single-stranded RNA (+ssRNA) genome. The viral genome is translated into a polyprotein precursor, which is processed into mature proteins and a short overlapping open reading frame.

The complete genomic sequence of pepper yellow leaf curl virus (PYLCV) and its implications for our understanding of evolution dynamics in the genus polerovirus.

We determined the complete sequence and organization of the genome of a putative member of the genus Polerovirus tentatively named Pepper yellow leaf curl virus (PYLCV). PYLCV has a wider host range than Tobacco vein-distorting virus (TVDV) and has a close serological relationship with Cucurbit aphid-borne yellows virus (CABYV) (both poleroviruses). The extracted viral RNA was subjected to SOLiD next-generation sequence analysis and used as a template for reverse transcription synthesis, which was followed by PCR amplification.

Control methods of virus diseases in the Mediterranean basin.

Viral pathogens form an important group of obligatory parasites of plants. About 977 plant viruses have been described and classified in 14 families and 70 genera. This group of pathogens has complex interactions with their host plants and vectors due to their integration in the molecular mechanisms of living cells, interfering with our ability to manage the malfunctions of virus infected plants by curing means.

Eggplant mild leaf mottle virus (EMLMV), a new putative member of the genus Ipomovirus that harbors an HC-Pro gene.

Since 2003, a new viral disease of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) has been spreading in fields in the Jordan and Arava Valleys, Israel. The symptoms of this disease include mild leaf mottling and varying degrees of fruit distortion.

Spread of Tomato apical stunt viroid (TASVd) in Greenhouse Tomato Crops Is Associated with Seed Transmission and Bumble Bee Activity.

Tomato apical stunt viroid (TASVd) has been reported as a devastating pathogen of greenhouse tomato in Israel. This isolate shares 92 and 99% identity with the Ivory Coast type strain and an Indonesian strain, respectively. No information is available regarding the epidemiology of this viroid complex.

Transgenic cucumbers harboring the 54-kDa putative gene of Cucumber fruit mottle mosaic tobamovirus are highly resistant to viral infection and protect non-transgenic scions from soil infection.

Cucumber fruit mottle mosaic tobamovirus (CFMMV) causes severe mosaic symptoms and yellow mottling on leaves and fruits and, occasionally, severe wilting of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) plants. No genetic source of resistance against this virus has been identified in cucumber.

UV radiation effects on pathogens and insect pests of greenhouse-grown crops.

Production of high-value crops is often performed under protected cultivation. In recent years various spectral modifications have been made in greenhouse covers. Two of the main reasons to modify the spectral characteristics of greenhouse covers have been to suppress the proliferation of several foliar diseases and to protect crops from insects and insect-borne virus diseases of greenhouse-grown crops.