Genomics and trascriptome of virus-vector-host plant relationship in the pathosytem of Brevipalpus transmitted viruses; systematic and evolution of Brevipalpus mites and their endosymbionts; new strategies to manage citrus Leprosis in the S. Paulo State

Abstract

Knowledge on the Citrus Leprosis pathosystem (CL), one of the most importante citrus diseases in the state of São Paulo, gained exponential increase in the last 20 years. Its main causal agente, Citrus Leprosis Virus (CiLV-C), transmitted by Brevipalpus mites, was thoroughly characterized and the management of CL was immensely helped by the epidemiological data yielded. In the wake of these advances, it was discovered that at least four other viruses are part of the Leprosis syndrome in citrus plants, and that many other viral diseases in plants as coffee, passion flower and many ornamentals are also caused by viruses transmitted by Brevipalpus in more thatn 40 plant species, naturally infected. Taxonomy, morphology, biology, genomics of Brevipalpus, and its relationship with transmitted viruses had significative advances. A remarkable achievement was that there are at least two completely different types of viruses, being transmitted by Brevipalpus (BTV), causing essentially similar localized symptoms belonging to the family Rhabdoviridae and Kitaviridae, suggesting a converging evolution. Most of these knowledges came from researches supported by FAPESP, which produced 105 articles, 10 technical publications, 1 book and 1 book chapter, 15 dissertations and thesis, and 264 abstracts presented in local and international meetings. The present proposal intends to maintain a continuity on these works, focusing: (a) in the use of new genomic/transcriptomic technologies applied onto the BTV/vector/host relationship; (b) a deepening on taxonomy and gene prospection of Brevipalpus; (c) the introduction of new strategies in the management of CL due to the changes of cultural technique in citrus orchards, after the recent introduction of HLB in the state of São Paulo. (AU)