Plant Viruses, Viroids and Phytoplasmas: Insight into Evolutionary, Pathogenicity, and Epidemiology Studies
A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Protection and Biotic Interactions".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2024 | Viewed by 5287
Special Issue Editors
Interests: plant virology; diagnosis; phytoplasmas; validation of detection methods; reference laboratory; reference material; phytosanitary measures; quarantine organisms.
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Plant viruses, viroids, and phytoplasmas are unculturable pathogens recognized as increasing threats to sustainable food production and environmental protection globally. The characterization of their genome is of great interest for a number of applications in the plant health field. First and foremost, the development of molecular diagnostic tests is critical for setting proper control measures and minimizing the impact on crops. Moreover, molecular characterization is crucial for taxonomic classification, especially in the case of phytoplasmas. Finally, it allows to perform phylogenetic analyses aimed at exploring genetic diversity and the structure of plant virus populations for evolutionary, pathogenicity and epidemiology studies.
This Special Issue of Plants will highlight the identification and molecular characterization of plant viruses, viroids and phytoplasmas, with particular attention to their genome organization, molecular variability and taxonomic features. Therefore, in this Special Issue, articles (original research papers, abstract, and reviews) that focus on evolutionary, pathogenicity and epidemiology investigations of the above-mentioned pathogens are welcome.
Dr. Luca Ferretti
Dr. Anna Taglienti
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
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Keywords
- molecular characterization
- diagnosis
- phylogenetic analysis
- epidemiology
- genetic diversity
- taxonomy
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Planned Papers
The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.
Title: Viroid replication, movement, and host factors involved
Authors: Jian Wu
Affiliation: Ningbo University
Abstract: Viroids represent distinctive infectious agents composed solely of short, single-stranded RNA molecules. In contrast to viruses, which possess a protein coat and often additional structures, viroids lack a protective protein coat. Despite their apparent simplicity, viroids have the capacity to induce diseases in plants. Currently, extensive research has been conducted on the replication cycle of viroids within both the Pospiviroidae and Avsunviroidae families, shedding light on the intricacies of the associated host factors. Utilizing potato spindle tuber viroid as a model, investigations into the RNA structural motifs involved in viroid trafficking between different cell types have been thorough. Nevertheless, our understanding of the host factors responsible for intra- and inter-cellular movement of viroids remains largely incomplete. This review consolidates our current knowledge of viroid replication and movement within both families, emphasizing the structural basis required and the identified host factors involved. Additionally, we explore potential host factors that may mediate the intra- and inter-cellular movement of viroids, addressing gaps in our understanding.