The fungus
Monilinia fructicola is responsible for brown rot on stone and pome fruit and causes heavy yield losses both pre- and post-harvest. Several mycoviruses are known to infect fungal plant pathogens. In this study, a metagenomic approach was applied to obtain a comprehensive characterization of the mycovirome in a worldwide collection of 58
M. fructicola strains. Deep sequencing of double-stranded (ds)RNA extracts revealed a great abundance and variety of mycoviruses. A total of 32 phylogenetically distinct positive-sense (+) single-stranded (ss)RNA viruses were identified. They included twelve mitoviruses, one in the proposed family
Splipalmiviridae, and twelve botourmiaviruses (phylum
Lenarviricota), eleven of which were novel viral species; two hypoviruses, three in the proposed family
Fusariviridae, and one barnavirus (phylum
Pisuviricota); as well as one novel beny-like virus (phylum
Kitrinoviricota), the first one identified in Ascomycetes. A partial sequence of a new putative ssDNA mycovirus related to viruses within the
Parvoviridae family was detected in a
M. fructicola isolate from Serbia. The availability of genomic sequences of mycoviruses will serve as a solid basis for further research aimed at deepening the knowledge on virus–host and virus–virus interactions and to explore their potential as biocontrol agents against brown rot disease.
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