The Potential of Naturally Occurring, Heritable, Mutualistic ‘Persistent’ Viruses to Enhance Legume Performance

PhD (CTP/ PGRO/ Cambridge University):

Persistent Plant Viruses (PVs) are RNA viruses belonging to the family Partitiviridae or the genus Endornavirus that differ significantly from acute viruses in that they cause no visible disease, are inherited through seed or pollen, and are not transmissible through vectors or physical damage. These viruses are found in various cultivated crops such as beans, peppers, and rice, where they have shown potential benefits. For instance, peppers harbouring PVs can repel aphid pests and resist acute viruses, while certain bean varieties with PVs produce higher yields and exhibit improved nitrogen fixation. These observations suggest that PVs may act as mutualists rather than pathogens, potentially enhancing crop performance and resilience.

We will be studying the effects of PVs on Fava beans to investigate the prevalence and impact of PVs on the yield. We will be using a new approach called Virus-Induced Gene Silencing (VIGS) to create isogenic lines by selectively removing specific PVs and then compare the effects of these PVs on a range of environmental interactions. The ultimate goal is to determine whether PVs can be used to enhance crop productivity and resilience or if they should be screened out during breeding programs.

Sponsors:

Student:

Lucy Bentall

Start Date: October 2024

Duration of study: 4 years