Journal of Virology (2019) 93 (15 - e00488-19)

Saptarshi Ghosh, Surapathrudu Kanakala, Galina Lebedev, Svetlana Kontsedalov, David Silverman, Tamar Alon, Neta Mor, Noa Sela, Neta Luria, Aviv Dombrovsky, Munir Mawassi, Sabrina Haviv, Henryk Czosnek and Murad Ghanim (2019)
Transmission of a new Polerovirus infecting pepper by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci
Journal of Virology 93 (15 - e00488-19)
Abstract: Many animal and plant viruses depend on arthropods for their transmission. Virus-vector interactions are highly specific, and only one vector or one of a group of vectors from the same family is able to transmit a given virus. Poleroviruses (Luteoviridae) are phloem-restricted RNA plant viruses that are exclusively transmitted by aphids. Multiple aphid-transmitted polerovirus species commonly infect pepper, causing vein yellowing, leaf rolling, and fruit discoloration. Despite low aphid populations, a recent outbreak with such severe symptoms in many bell pepper farms in Israel led to reinvestigation of the disease and its insect vector. Here we report that this outbreak was caused by a new whitefly (Bemisia tabaci)-transmitted polerovirus, which we named Pepper whitefly-borne vein yellows virus (PeWBVYV). PeWBVYV is highly (>95%) homologous to Pepper vein yellows virus (PeVYV) from Israel and Greece on its 5' end half, while it is homologous to African eggplant yellows virus (AeYV) on its 3' half. Koch's postulates were proven by constructing a PeWBVYV infectious clone causing the pepper disease, which was in turn transmitted to test pepper plants by B. tabaci but not by aphids. PeWBVYV represents the first report of a whitefly-transmitted polerovirus.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Aviv Dombrovsky, Munir Mawassi, Henryk Czosnek, Murad Ghanim

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
transmission/dispersal of plant diseases

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Pepper whitefly-borne vein yellows virus	Green pepper/chilli (Capsicum)	Israel