Archives of Virology最新文献

Pulses are vital to sustainable global food systems, supplying plant-based protein, minerals, and vitamins while improving soil fertility through biological nitrogen fixation. Cultivated on ~99.26 million ha with ~99.06 million tonnes annual production, their demand is rising, particularly in Asia and Africa. Yet production stability is increasingly threatened by climate variability, expanding vector niches, and predominantly rain-fed cultivation systems, where viral diseases impose major yield losses. While begomovirus-induced yellow mosaic disease remains the most destructive in Asia, the thrips-borne groundnut bud necrosis orthotospovirus (GBNV: Orthotospovirus arachinecrosis) is rapidly reshaping the viral disease scenario in Indian pulse crops. GBNV infections are now recorded in mungbean, urdbean, cowpea, French bean, field pea, and wild Vigna species, causing necrotic leaf-curl symptoms. Here, we review how GBNV has emerged as a major threat to the sustainability of pulse-based agro-ecosystems. GBNV shows considerable genetic diversity, indicating ongoing evolution and host expansion. Climate-driven changes in Thrips palmi populations and their efficient persistent-propagative transmission play a central role in disease outbreaks. Resistance breeding remains limited because no resistance genes or QTLs have been identified. Emerging management approaches such as ecosystem-based vector suppression, biocontrol and antiviral agents, and early RNA-level diagnostics, offer promising alternatives to reduce reliance on broad-spectrum insecticides. This review presents a pulse-centric sustainability framing of GBNV and outlines research priorities to strengthen surveillance, breeding, and management strategies within global pulse production systems.

Dragon fruit (Selenicereus spp.) is an emerging high-value tropical fruit crop grown extensively in India. However, very limited information is available on viruses associated with its cultivation. Hence, we conducted virome profiling of dragon fruit cladodes collected from major growing regions of southern and western India using high-throughput sequencing (HTS), followed by validation through RT-PCR and RT-loop-mediated isothermal amplification. The survey conducted across Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh revealed moderate to high disease incidence (15–45%), with symptoms including mosaic, mottling, chlorotic streaks, and necrotic lesions. The meta-transcriptome analysis of the RNA isolated from infected cladodes revealed the presence of seven viruses; tobacco streak virus (TSV), groundnut bud necrosis virus (GBNV), pitaya virus X (PiVX), cactus virus X (CVX), cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), tomato mosaic virus (ToMV), and tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV). However, the complete/near-complete genome sequences were successfully reconstructed for TSV, GBNV, PiVX, and CVX. Relative abundance analysis indicated GBNV as the dominant virus, followed by CVX, PiVX, and TSV. The phylogenetic analysis showed close clustering of GBNV, TSV, PiVX, and CVX isolates with previously reported Indian and global isolates, indicating high genetic conservation and probable regional dissemination through shared agroecosystems and planting materials. Recombination analysis identified statistically significant recombination events in TSV (RNA1 and RNA2), GBNV (L segment), and PiVX (RdRp region), suggesting ongoing genetic reshuffling and adaptive evolution. In contrast, CVX showed no evidence of recombination. RT-LAMP assays developed for the identified viruses enabled rapid, sensitive, and field-deployable detection, confirming widespread mixed infections across surveyed regions. This study represents the first comprehensive HTS-based virome profiling of dragon fruit in India and highlights the complexity of viral infections in this crop. The integration of HTS with RT-LAMP provides a robust framework for early diagnosis, quarantine surveillance, and the production of virus-free planting material, which is essential for the sustainable expansion of dragon fruit cultivation in India.