Location: Emerging Pests and Pathogens Research
Project Number: 8062-22410-007-032-I
Project Type: Interagency Reimbursable Agreement
Start Date: Aug 1, 2023
End Date: Aug 1, 2024
Objective:
Cotton leafroll dwarf virus (CLRDV), member of the genus Polerovirus (Family Solemoviridae), is an emerging viral pathogen of cotton (Gossypium spp.). Since its first detection in Alabama, CLRDV has spread into other cotton-producing states throughout the cotton belt such as Texas, North Carolina and Florida. The symptoms associated with CLRDV are varied, but include interveinal chlorosis, leaf rolling, sterility and internode shortening. Symptoms are challenging to characterize in the field due to the current lack of in-field diagnostics tests. However, the virus has also been detected in asymptomatic plants. During a survey of CLRDV-symptomatic plants in Mississippi in 2019, ARS collected whole cotton trees which have been established and are maintained in our greenhouse at Cornell University. ARS began characterization of the virus populations in these trees. The purpose of this project will be to use high throughput sequencing to characterize additional isolates of CLRDV and other viruses found in our cotton trees in parallel with characterizing additional virus populations present in cotton in Southern states.
Approach:
To achieve the project objectives, ARS will:
1) Characterize virus populations associated with CLRDV and other possible viruses in cotton from coastal Southern US states.
2) Characterize genetic variability of CLRDV isolates and other possible viruses found in cotton from coastal Southern US states.
3) Communicate findings to USDA ARS, the CLRDV task force, and cotton industry representatives.
