What steps can researchers take to combat crop viruses? This is what a recent study published in Nucleic Acids Research hopes to address as a team of researchers from Germany investigated a novel method using RNA to ensure better plant protection and stable crop production. This study has the potential to help researchers, farmers, and the public better understand plant viruses and the steps that can be taken to mitigate them for both the short and long term.
For the study, the researchers developed a novel method for identifying key RNA characteristics that can be used to fight Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), which is a worldwide and deadly plant virus impacting more than 1,200 plant species. If infected, plants exhibit symptoms that include malformation, distinct yellowing of several aspects of the plant, ring-spots, and more. To combat CMV, the researchers designed RNA-based ingredients to boost the plant’s immune system and fight the virus.
"RNA viruses such as the Cucumber mosaic virus are dangerous because they can evolve rapidly,” said Dr. Sven-Erik Behrens, who is a Professor of Microbial Biotechnology at Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg in Germany and a co-author on the study. “In addition, the genetic material of this virus is made up of three separate parts, which can get mixed up, further increasing the chance of new mutations. To achieve maximum protection against the virus, our active ingredients target different parts of the genome.”
Going forward, the team aspires to work with drug delivery specialists and pharmacists to gain greater insight into a more automatic method for applying their treatment to plants, as it has been done manually until now.
What new discoveries regarding how to combat plant viruses will researchers make in the coming years and decades? Only time will tell, and this is why we science!
As always, keep doing science & keep looking up!
Sources: Nucleic Acids Research, EurekAlert!
Featured Image Credit: Uni Halle / Heiko Rebsch