Construction and use of an infectious cDNA clone to identify aphid vectors and susceptible monocot hosts of the polerovirus barley virus G

Abstract

Since its discovery in 2016, the Polerovirus Barley virus G has been reported in at least nine countries and multiple species of monocot plants. All of these reports have used PCR and/or sequencing based assays to identify BVG, however none have investigated the biology of BVG. In this study we detail the generation of the first infectious cDNA clone of BVG from archived RNA, thereby producing a valuable experimental tool and system for studying BVG biology. Using this system we identified two compatible aphid vectors and confirmed the susceptibility of several monocot plants, and the dicotyledonous plant host Nicotiana benthamiana, to BVG.