Plant Virus Disease Spread Through Insect Vectors and Their Management

Abstract

Arthropod-borne plant viruses are among the most important complex and extensively distributed plant disease agents. The vectors of any plant virus are always restricted to one of the major taxa, such as aphids, leafhoppers, whiteflies, thrips, mealy bugs, beetles, mites, or nematodes. The first vectors recognized as being associated with a plant virus disease were insects, i.e., leaf hoppers (Deltocephalis dorsalis Motschulsky) transmitting rice stunt virus disease. Different terms or categories used for describing the relationship between vectors and viruses give some indication of the behavior of the virus in the vector during transmission or mechanism of virus transmission by vector. The most threatening property of the insect vector is its wide host range. The knowledge of virus–vector relationship is essential to devise suitable measures against vector-borne diseases. Most approaches to control the vectors of virus diseases are aimed at eradicating or altering one or more of the primary participants in the transmission process (vector, virus, and host plant) or at preventing their coming together. Broadly, the management of vectors of viral diseases can be done by adopting methods of cultural control, biological control, and chemical control, e.g., an integrated management strategy consisting of appropriate transplanting time, use of barrier crops, and periodical application of synthetic and botanical chemicals for management of aphid vectors of papaya ring spot virus (PRSV) on papaya has been successfully developed at I. A. R. I. Regional Station, Pune.