In the heart of Georgia, a silent battle is being waged to protect America’s agricultural backbone. Anushi Suwaneththiya Deraniyagala, a researcher at the University of Georgia’s Department of Plant Pathology, is leading the charge against a formidable foe: the groundnut bud necrosis orthotospovirus (GBNV). This insidious virus, while currently confined to parts of Asia, poses a significant threat to U.S. crops if it were to hitch a ride on imported plants or produce. Deraniyagala’s latest research, published in the journal Viruses, offers a new line of defense: a rapid, sensitive, and specific diagnostic assay that could revolutionize phytosanitary measures at U.S. ports of entry.
GBNV, also known as peanut bud necrosis virus, is a tripartite single-stranded RNA virus that can wreak havoc on a variety of economically important crops. “The major hosts of GBNV include cowpeas, mung beans, soybeans, potatoes, and tomatoes,” Deraniyagala explains. “But it doesn’t stop there. It can also infect oil seeds, vegetables, ornamentals, and weeds.” The virus induces a range of symptoms, from chlorosis and necrosis to stunting and discoloration of pods and seeds, leading to substantial crop losses.
The threat is not just theoretical. The major host plants and all three known GBNV thrips vectors are already present in the United States. This raises significant concern, as some of these vectors are highly efficient at transmitting other orthotospoviruses to valuable crops. “The major vectors of GBNV are Frankliniella schultzei, Scirtothrips dorsalis, and Thrips palmi,” Deraniyagala notes. “These vectors are already in the U.S., and they’re quite good at transmitting other viruses.”
To combat this potential threat, Deraniyagala and her team developed a multiplex TaqMan reverse transcriptase–quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assay. This diagnostic tool targets highly conserved regions of the nucleocapsid (NP) and movement (MP) proteins within the viral genome, as well as an internal control plant gene, ACT11. The results are impressive: efficiency rates between 90% and 100% and R2 values of 0.98 to 0.99, indicating high accuracy and precision.
The implications for the agricultural sector are profound. This rapid, sensitive, and specific diagnostic assay could provide a valuable tool at ports of entry, helping to prevent the introduction of GBNV into the United States. But the potential applications don’t stop at GBNV. This technology could be adapted to detect other quarantine pathogens, bolstering the nation’s phytosanitary measures and safeguarding its agricultural industries.
The energy sector, too, could benefit from this research. Many bioenergy crops, such as soybeans and oil seeds, are susceptible to GBNV. By preventing the introduction of this virus, the U.S. can protect its bioenergy infrastructure and ensure a steady supply of feedstock for biorefineries.
Looking to the future, this research could shape the development of new diagnostic tools and strategies for plant disease management. As Deraniyagala puts it, “A more sensitive and specific gold-standard assay is indispensable to safeguard against the involuntary entry of GBNV into countries currently unaffected by the virus.” With this new assay, the U.S. is one step closer to achieving that goal. Published in the journal Viruses, the research is a testament to the power of scientific innovation in protecting our agricultural and energy sectors.