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Molecular and Biological Characterization of an Isolate of Fusarium graminearum dsRNA mycovirus 4 (FgV4) from a New Host Fusarium pseudograminearum

Summary

Scientists discovered a virus that infects the fungus responsible for wheat crown rot disease. When this virus infects the fungus, it slows down the fungus’s growth and reduces its ability to cause disease in wheat plants. This finding suggests the virus could potentially be used as a natural biological control method to protect wheat crops from crown rot disease, offering an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical fungicides.

Background

Wheat Fusarium crown rot (FCR) is a major disease caused primarily by Fusarium pseudograminearum, resulting in significant crop losses. Mycoviruses are fungal viruses that can confer hypovirulence traits to their hosts and have potential as biocontrol agents for plant fungal diseases.

Objective

To identify and characterize a novel dsRNA mycovirus isolate from F. pseudograminearum and investigate its effects on host biological characteristics as a potential biocontrol agent for wheat FCR disease.

Results

FgV4-WC9-2 contains two dsRNA segments (2194 bp and 1738 bp) encoding proteins with conserved RNA-dependent RNA polymerase domains. The virus significantly reduced colony growth rate (12.3 mm/day vs 16.5 mm/day), and FgV4-WC9-2 infection reduced sporulation ability, altered conidia size, and decreased pathogenicity to wheat seedlings compared to the cured strain.

Conclusion

This study identifies the first hypovirulence-associated orthocurvulavirus infecting F. pseudograminearum, demonstrating potential for biological management of wheat FCR disease. FgV4-WC9-2 represents a new host for FgV4 and provides mycoviral resources for developing biocontrol strategies against wheat crown rot.
  • Published in:Microorganisms,
  • Study Type:Original Research,
  • Source: PMID: 40005784, DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms13020418
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