Abstract
Changes in plant abiotic environments may alter plant virus epidemiological traits, but how such changes actually affect their quantitative relationships is poorly understood. Here, we investigated the effects of water deficit on Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) traits (virulence, accumulation, and vectored-transmission rate) in 24 natural Arabidopsis thaliana accessions grown under strictly controlled environmental conditions. CaMV virulence increased significantly in response to water deficit during vegetative growth in all A. thaliana accessions, while viral transmission by aphids and within-host accumulation were significantly altered in only a few. Under well-watered conditions, CaMV accumulation was correlated positively with CaMV transmission by aphids, while under water deficit, this relationship was reversed. Hence, under water deficit, high CaMV accumulation did not predispose to increased horizontal transmission. No other significant relationship between viral traits could be detected. Across accessions, significant relationships between climate at collection sites and viral traits were detected but require further investigation. Interactions between epidemiological traits and their alteration under abiotic stresses must be accounted for when modelling plant virus epidemiology under scenarios of climate change.
Highlights
Changes in plant abiotic environments may alter plant virus epidemiological traits, but how such changes affect their quantitative relationships is poorly understood
We previously demonstrated a significant variation in Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) virulence among these specific A. thaliana accessions that was not related to climatic variables, annual precipitation, of original local populations[10,20]
CaMV infection induced a reduction in vegetative growth in all A. thaliana accessions (Figs. 1, 2A; P < 0.001, Supplementary Table S2)
Summary
Changes in plant abiotic environments may alter plant virus epidemiological traits, but how such changes affect their quantitative relationships is poorly understood. We investigated the effects of water deficit on Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) traits (virulence, accumulation, and vectored-transmission rate) in 24 natural Arabidopsis thaliana accessions grown under strictly controlled environmental conditions. CaMV virulence increased significantly in response to water deficit during vegetative growth in all A. thaliana accessions, while viral transmission by aphids and within-host accumulation were significantly altered in only a few. Plants are continuously exposed to combinations of abiotic and biotic stresses[1] In response to these constraints, plants have evolved specific mechanisms to detect environmental changes and respond to complex stress conditions, minimizing damage while maintaining valuable resources for growth and reproduction[2,3]. While Barley yellow dwarf virus titer increases by more than 30% in wheat grown under elevated atmospheric C O2 (eCO2) or elevated temperature[22,24], Scientific Reports | (2021) 11:24103
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