Viruses Infecting the Plant Pathogenic Fungus Rhizoctonia solani

Author: mycolabadmin
2019-11-30
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Summary

This research reviews viruses that infect Rhizoctonia solani, a destructive fungal plant pathogen that causes significant crop losses worldwide. The study examines how these viruses could potentially be used to control plant diseases naturally, without chemical fungicides. Impact on everyday life: • Could lead to more sustainable and environmentally friendly methods of protecting food crops • May help reduce reliance on chemical fungicides in agriculture • Could improve crop yields and food security by controlling fungal diseases • May lower food production costs by providing alternative disease control methods • Could help develop new biotechnology tools for agricultural applications

Background

The cosmopolitan fungus Rhizoctonia solani has a wide host range and is the causal agent of numerous crop diseases, leading to significant economic losses. No cultivars showing complete resistance to R. solani have been identified, making it imperative to develop strategies to control disease spread. Fungal viruses (mycoviruses) are widespread in fungi and next-generation sequencing is currently the most efficient approach for their identification.

Objective

To comprehensively review and discuss the molecular features of known viruses infecting R. solani and evaluate their potential as biological control agents. The review aims to catalog and analyze the diversity of viruses found in R. solani, their transmission mechanisms, and effects on the host fungus.

Results

The review identified numerous viruses infecting R. solani, including members of established families like Endornaviridae, Tymoviridae, Partitiviridae, and Narnaviridae, as well as unclassified viruses. The viruses have diverse genome types including dsRNA, (+)ssRNA, and (-)ssRNA. Some viruses were associated with hypovirulence or hypervirulence in R. solani. Transmission occurs both horizontally through hyphal fusion and vertically through spores.

Conclusion

R. solani hosts a wide range of RNA viruses, with most having dsRNA or (+)ssRNA genomes. While some viral infections are cryptic, others like RsPV2/GD-11 cause hypovirulence and show promise as biocontrol agents. Future research should focus on understanding molecular mechanisms of virus-host interactions and transmission mechanisms to develop effective biological control strategies.

Published in:Viruses,
Study Type:Review,
Source: 10.3390/v11121113