Transmission of Viruses Through Fungi

Abstract

A number of plant viruses in different genera are transmitted through the soil. Thirty soil-borne viruses are known to be transmitted by five species of fungal vectors. Soil-borne viruses are difficult to study, and their biology is relatively poorly understood at present. Fungi belonging to Olpidium spp., Polymyxa graminis, Spongospora subterranea and Synchytrium endobioticum have shown to be involved in the transmission of viruses belonging to the genera Bymovirus, Furovirus, Tombusvirus and Varicosavirus through either non-persistent or persistent means. When these fungi parasitize roots of virus-infected plants, the zoospores of these fungi acquire the virus either on the surface or internally. These zoospores upon infection of roots of healthy plants introduce the virus and cause infection.