The kaleidoscopic future of plant virology

Authors: Mollov, Dimitre

Submitted to: American Phytopathological Society Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/25/2020
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Plant viruses and the diseases they cause have been an agricultural problem for millennia and continue to provide some of our greatest challenges in food, fiber, and floral production. Plant virologists need to adopt new and multi-faceted approaches and to constantly evolve. Great scientific discoveries and applications in agricultural systems enable adequate responses to continuously growing societal changes and challenges. However, new changes and challenges always occur and rapid interventions in agricultural and natural systems will always be necessary. There is a rich history of breakthroughs and advances in plant virology. Forward thinking technological innovations are only possible when built on existing knowledge and methodology. Currently, genomic-based approaches, like deep sequencing, can be merged with proteomics, imaging, and other powerful technologies to develop robust discovery pipelines for new viruses. Further emphases on viral genome plasticity, host genomes, resistance genes, virus-vector interactions, vector movements, and population and epidemiological studies as part of complex biological networks would produce new insights enabling plant virologists to meet emerging challenges and agricultural threats. This integrated methodology, coupled with an open-minded approach, can meet the challenge of the exciting world of existing and emerging viruses which continuously threaten food production and human well-being.