Wild and weedy Hesperis matronalis hosts turnip mosaic virus across heterogeneous landscapes in upstate New York

• Published in: Virus research 2023-01, Vol.323, p.199011-199011, Article 199011
• Main Authors: Lombardi, Elizabeth M., Peters, Jasmine, Jacob, Lukin, Power, Alison G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Crops, Agricultural; Hesperis matronalis, Wild host plants; New York - epidemiology; Plant Diseases; Plant virus ecology; Potyvirus - genetics; Spillover; Tolerance; Turnip mosaic virus; Virus spillover; Wild viruses
• ISSN: 0168-1702; 1872-7492
• DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2022.199011

•Dame's Rocket, Hesperis matronalis, is a widespread host of turnip mosaic virus.•TuMV prevalence is higher in hosts growing in agricultural landscapes.•Infection with TuMV induces leaf mottle and color breaking floral phenotypes.•We present evidence for genetically-mediated tolerance of TuMV across hosts. Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) is a widespread and economically important pathogen in agricultural crops and has the widest known host range in the virus family Potyviridae. While management of the virus and its aphid vectors in agricultural fields decreases virus incidence, many alternative wild hosts for TuMV may serve as source populations for crop infection through spillover. Over thirty years ago, research demonstrated that the introduced brassica, Dame's Rocket (Hesperis matronalis) hosts several viruses, including TuMV. Here, we use both enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and next generation sequencing to document the frequent infection by TuMV of Dame's Rocket, which is common and widespread in disturbed areas around crop fields in upstate New York. Deep sequencing of multiple tissue types of symptomatic hosts indicate that the infection is systemic and causes diagnostic, visible symptoms. In a common garden experiment using host populations from across upstate New York, we found evidence for genetic tolerance to TuMV infection in H. matronalis. Field surveys show that TuMV prevalence varies across populations, but is generally higher in agricultural areas. Examining disease dynamics in this and other common alternative hosts will enhance our understanding of TuMV epidemiology and, more broadly, virus distribution in wild plants.