Chapter 17 - Plant RNA virus vector interactions in epidemiology of plant viral diseases

Abstract

Insect vectors play a significant role for the majority of plant viruses for their transmission as well as survival. Transmission of plant virus by an insect vector is the key element of the infection cycle for a majority of plant pathogenic viruses. Plant RNA virus-induced alterations in plant and vector lead to different vector-plant interactions, which shape the epidemiology of the plant RNA virus. Plant viruses can interact with their insect vectors and host plants in a variety of ways, including both nonpersistent and circulative transmission; in some cases, the latter involves virus replication in cells of the insect host. A consistent feature is that the interactions of the virus with its insect vector require specific molecular interactions between virus and host, commonly using proteins. Understanding the interactions between plant viruses and their insect host can underpin approaches to protect plants from infection by interfering with virus uptake and transmission. Here, we provide comprehensive tritrophic molecular interactions among RNA viruses, their insect vectors, and host plants and research directions to facilitate control of plant viruses by better understanding and targeting virus-insect molecular interactions.