Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) is the most important berry crop worldwide, and viruses pose a constant threat to the industry. In this communication, we describe a novel virus in the family Rhabdoviridae referred to as strawberry virus 3 (StrV-3). The virus does not show significant homology when compared with recognized rhabdoviruses, and, therefore, the establishment of a new genus should be considered. A triplex reverse-transcription PCR test was developed and successfully employed in a survey of the National Clonal Germplasm Repository Fragaria collection. A CRISPR-Cas-based protocol was also developed and shown to detect the virus in as little as 1 fg of total RNA, a protocol to be used in the detection of the virus in candidate G1 plants. The strawberry aphid (Chaetosiphon fragaefolii) was evaluated—alas, unsuccessfully—as a potential vector of the virus. This work broadens our understanding of the family Rhabdoviridae and assists in the quest of releasing plant material free of viruses.
A Novel, Divergent Member of the Rhabdoviridae Family Infects Strawberry
Ava N. Medberry, Ashish Srivastava, Alfredo Diaz-Lara, Maher Al Rwahnih, Dan E. V. Villamor, and Ioannis E. Tzanetakis
Plant Disease 0 0:
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