Cocoa necrosis virus

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Cocoa necrosis virus
Virus classification Red Pencil Icon.png
(unranked): Virus
Realm: Riboviria
Kingdom: Orthornavirae
Phylum: Pisuviricota
Class: Pisoniviricetes
Order: Picornavirales
Family: Secoviridae
Genus: Nepovirus
Species:
Cocoa necrosis virus
Synonyms [1]
  • Cacao necrosis virus

Cocoa necrosis virus (CoNV) is a plant pathogenic virus of the genus nepovirus that infects Theobroma cacao en natura causing cacao necrosis disease. [2] CoNV is considered synonymous with Strain S of cacao swollen shoot virus. [3] Unlike Cacao swollen shoot virus , it is not transmitted by mealybugs nor vectored by aphids, beetles, or leafhoppers that also commonly infest cacao. [2] [4] [5] It is serologically, distantly related to Tomato black ring virus and very distantly related to Grapevine chrome mosaic virus . [6]

Contents

Hosts and symptoms

Cacao necrosis virus is restricted to systemic infection of Theobroma cacao in nature. [3] Symptoms on cacao include an acute stage showing translucent veinal necrosis of leaves, necrotic or chlorotic spots of leaves, defoliation, and dieback of shoots that rarely leads to seedling death if infected by the Ghanaian isolate. [2] [7] [8] [9] [3] A following recovery phase of live plants shows limited leaf symptoms. [7]

The virus has been transmitted to numerous diagnostically susceptible host species including Beta vulgaris , Chenopodium amaranticolor , Chenopodium quinoa , Cucumis sativus , Glycine max , Gomphrena globosa , Nicotiana clevelandii , Nicotiana glutinosa , Nicotiana tabacum , Petunia × hybrida , Phaseolus vulgaris , Tetragonia tetragonioides , Theobroma cacao , and Vigna unguiculata , but these plants are not infected in nature. The strain used to infect these species was the Ghanaian isolate. Three of these species displayed characteristic symptoms: P. vulgaris cv. The Prince, Beta vulgaris cv. Greentop, and Chenopodium quinoa. P. vulgaris develops chlorotic rings 4–5 days post inoculation on the primary leaf site, followed by veinal chlorotic mottling on systemic infection of trifoliate leaves. B. vulgaris displays red rings to the inoculated leaves 10 days post infection without systemic infection. C. quinoa displays severe tip necrosis 10–12 days post inoculation without systemic infection. [9]

Indexing of the disease occurs when a rootstock is grafted onto a susceptible cacao cultivar and then the plant is examined for symptom development. [2]

Disease cycle

Specificity in the life cycle of cacao necrosis virus, in contrast to other plant pathogenic viral pathogens, has not yet been studied. The virus is assigned to the genus Nepovirus and is most likely transmitted by needle nematodes (Longidorus spp.). Once the virus is inside the plant cell, viral RNA is released into the cytoplasm. The RNA is duplicated in viroplasms. A double stranded RNA (dsRNA) genome is created from single stranded RNA (ssRNA). The transcribed dsRNA creates new messenger RNAs and ssRNA genomes. This allows for assembly of new viruses in the viroplasms. The new viruses are encapsulated in newly synthesized proteins which are able to facilitate transport from the infected cell to other cells. [10]

Environment

Nematode vectors are responsible for transmission. [11] Conditions that favor nematodes will also favor the spread of cacao necrosis virus including moistened soil and mild temperatures. Longidorus spp. has been found in soils of surrounding cacao necrosis disease outbreaks in Ghana, and are seemingly the genus of nematodes involved with transmission. [9] These are root ectoparasites. [12] The pathogen is not soil or air borne, as viruses are obligate parasites.

Management

There is no treatment for plants once infected with cacao necrosis virus. [2] Destruction of infected and contact cacao trees is an effective cultural control method. This does not prevent new spread although spread is greatly reduced due to the limited dispersal of the nematode vector and subsequent monocyclic cycle of disease [5] No resistant strains have been produced, though a resistant cacao tree may be the best possible management option looking forward. [11] [12] A similar transgenic approach taken to combat papaya ringspot virus could work for cacao based on the type of vector transmission. Seed transmission is estimated to be up to 24% depending on the plant species so cacao plantations should be planted from clean seed stock. [9]

Importance

This disease is currently found in Colombia, Venezuela, Ghana, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia. It is widespread in Ghana and Nigeria. [13] Ghana, Indonesia, and Nigeria are in the top five cacao producing countries in the world, and cacao is one of the main and among the most economically important exports in these regions. [14] Withal, the disease has no apparent economic impact to these countries or the chocolate industry as outbreaks are small, localized, and easily controlled by eradication. [13] The disease was first described and partially characterized in papers published in 1948 and 1972, respectively. [5] Most of the research into this pathogen has historically been done in Ghana and Nigeria. [15] Not much has been done to study the disease in recent years.

Pathogenesis

The virions are isometric and not enveloped. They have a diameter of 24-26 nm. and are considered either angular or hexagonal in profile subject to the suspension material the virus is observed in. [3] The virion differs from traditional Nepovirus characteristics by fractioning into empty protein shells and particles of 12 nm. in diameter when fractionated without butanol. The virions are also slightly heavier than that of other Nepoviruses at 60,000 daltons. [6]

The exact mechanism of pathogenesis for cacao necrosis virus is not yet understood. The virus is not infective in sap after heating to 65 °C for 10 minutes, dilution to 0.0001 virions, or storage for 7 days at room temperature. [6]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leaf spot</span> Type of area of a leaf

A leaf spot is a limited, discoloured, diseased area of a leaf that is caused by fungal, bacterial or viral plant diseases, or by injuries from nematodes, insects, environmental factors, toxicity or herbicides. These discoloured spots or lesions often have a centre of necrosis. Symptoms can overlap across causal agents, however differing signs and symptoms of certain pathogens can lead to the diagnosis of the type of leaf spot disease. Prolonged wet and humid conditions promote leaf spot disease and most pathogens are spread by wind, splashing rain or irrigation that carry the disease to other leaves.

<i>Tomato bushy stunt virus</i> Species of virus

Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) is a virus of the tombusvirus family. It was first reported in tomatoes in 1935 and primarily affects vegetable crops, though it is not generally considered an economically significant plant pathogen. Depending upon the host, TBSV causes stunting of growth, leaf mottling, and deformed or absent fruit. The virus is likely to be soil-borne in the natural setting, but can also transmitted mechanically, for example through contaminated cutting tools. TBSV has been used as a model system in virology research on the life cycle of plant viruses, particularly in experimental infections of the model host plant Nicotiana benthamiana.

<i>Nepovirus</i> Genus of viruses

Nepovirus is a genus of viruses in the order Picornavirales, in the family Secoviridae, in the subfamily Comovirinae. Plants serve as natural hosts. There are 40 species in this genus. Nepoviruses, unlike the other two genera in the subfamily Comovirinae, are transmitted by nematodes.

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Xiphinema diversicaudatum is an amphimictic ectoparasitic nematode species. This species has a characteristically long stylet capable of penetrating into a host's vascular tissue. They have a wide host range with some of the extensively studied ones being strawberry, hops and raspberry, due to their economic importance. The direct root damage caused through penetration near the root tip and formation of galls is a secondary concern when compared with the damage caused by vectoring the Arabis mosaic virus. The virus attaches to the interior cuticle lining and can be transferred from infected to uninfected root tissue as the nematode feeds and sheds. Management of this particular nematode relies on nematicides such as 1,3-Dichloropropene (Telone) at 40 gpa.or methyl bromide at 1000 lb/ac to control to 28 in deep.

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<i>Cacao swollen shoot virus</i> Species of virus

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<i>Orthotospovirus</i> Genus of viruses

Orthotospovirus is a genus of negative-strand RNA viruses, in the family Tospoviridae of the order Bunyavirales, which infects plants. Tospoviruses take their name from the species Tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus (TSWV) which was discovered in Australia in 1919. TSWV remained the only known member of the family until the early 1990s when genetic characterisation of plant viruses became more common. There are now at least twenty species in the genus with more being discovered on a regular basis. Member viruses infect over eight hundred plant species from 82 different families.

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References

  1. van Regenmortel, M.H.V. "ICTV 7th Report" (PDF). International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV). Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Technical"
  3. 1 2 3 4 Brunt 1984.
  4. Harris & Maramorosch 1980.
  5. 1 2 3 Owusu 1971.
  6. 1 2 3 Kenten 1972.
  7. 1 2 "Cocoa"
  8. "Pests of Cocoa"
  9. 1 2 3 4 Kenten 1977.
  10. ViralZone 2015.
  11. 1 2 Kumar 1975.
  12. 1 2 Jones, Larbey & Parrott 1969.
  13. 1 2 Plantwise Knowledge Bank 2015.
  14. Worldatlas 2015.
  15. Hughes & Odu 2003.

Sources