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Potato is an important food security crop in Kenya. High prevalence of potato viruses is one of the major causes of low potato yields. Implementation of effective virus management strategies requires information on farmers’ perceptions and practices on virus epidemiology and control. To better understand farmers’ knowledge and practices in virus control and set possible pathways for intervention, a household survey involving 147 respondents was conducted in two major potato-growing regions in Kenya. Lack of sufficient technical information on potato virus symptoms, vectors and modes of transmission was found to be the major hindrance to farmers’ efforts towards virus control. A spider diagram approach was therefore used to determine the aspect of virus control that required the highest prioritization for immediate intervention by policy makers. Use of virus-resistant cultivars was found to require the most urgent attention compared to other aspects of virus control and was expected to have greater impact in lowering virus prevalence. This study showed that enhancing farmer knowledge needs to be prioritised as this is a key determinant of the success of the virus control strategy to be selected for implementation.

We present a taxonomic proposal for revision of the family Secoviridae, a taxon of plant viruses in the order Picornavirales. We propose the reorganization of the genus Sadwavirus to create three new subgenera and to update the classification of five existing species. The proposed subgenera are “Satsumavirus” (one species: Satsuma dwarf virus), “Stramovirus” (two species: Strawberry mottle virus and Black raspberry necrosis virus) and “Cholivirus” (two species: Chocolate lily virus A and Dioscorea mosaic associated virus).

Smallholder farmers in Uganda commonly use seed potato tubers from the informal sector, especially by seed recycling over several generations. Therefore, seed tubers are highly degenerated with viruses and other pathogens, resulting in poor yield and quality of the produce. Over one cycle of multiplication, degeneration management by positive seed selection was found to be efficient in reducing virus diseases compared with the farmers’ method of selection. The objective of this study was to assess to what extent positive selection over several seasons can reduce six different virus incidences in seed lots of different starting quality in southwestern Uganda. Multi-seasonal trials were carried out in three locations, with five seed lots from four sources and three cultivars. Detection of viruses was based on DAS-ELISA and Luminex xMAP technology. Analysis was carried out with analysis of variance (ANOVA) on angular-transformed percentages of virus incidence. Results showed fluctuations in some viruses over seasons with lower Potato leafroll virus (PLRV) and Potato virus X (PVX) incidences in lots from positive selection compared with lots from farmers’ selection. In contrast, some seed lots were initially highly infected with Potato virus S (PVS) and Potato virus M (PVM) and showed no reduction in virus incidence through positive selection. In general, little infection with Potato virus Y (PVY) and Potato virus A (PVA) was found. Based on these results, it is recommended that smallholder farmers are trained in positive selection to opt for less virus-infected plants and tubers, thus increasing potato production.

International audience; The order Picornavirales includes several plant viruses that are currently classified into the families Comoviridae (genera Comovirus, Fabavirus and Nepovirus) and Sequiviridae (genera Sequivirus and Waikavirus) and into the unassigned genera Cheravirus and Sadwavirus. These viruses share properties in common with other picornavirales (particle structure, positive-strand RNA genome with a polyprotein expression strategy, a common replication block including type III helicase, a 3C-like cysteine proteinase and type I RNA-dependent RNA polymerase). However, they also share unique properties that distinguish them from other picornavirales. They infect plants and use specialized proteins or protein domains to move through their host. In phylogenetic analysis based on their replication proteins, these viruses form a separate distinct lineage within the picornavirales branch. To recognize these common properties at the taxonomic level, we propose to create a new family termed “Secoviridae” to include the genera Comovirus, Fabavirus, Nepovirus, Cheravirus, Sadwavirus, Sequivirus and Waikavirus. Two newly discovered plant viruses share common properties with members of the proposed family Secoviridae but have distinct specific genomic organizations. In phylogenetic reconstructions, they form a separate sub-branch within the Secoviridae lineage. We propose to create a new genus termed Torradovirus (type species, Tomato torrado virus) and to assign this genus to the proposed family Secoviridae.

Flexuous viruses were transmitted from rakkyo (Allium chinense) and wild leek species (especiallyA. commutatum) to plants of crow garlic (A. vineale), by transfer of dry bulb mites. By electron microscope decoration tests using three antisera and by inoculations onto test plants, it was concluded that from each of the two natural host species at least two viruses were isolated. The viruses from wild leeks are both pathogenic onAllium spp. and may be of economic importance. Decoration tests on a virus mixture from shallot obtained earlier, revealed another new mite-borne virus in this species. The mite-borne viruses ofAllium spp. appear to be very common; they are largely diverse and their identification remains difficult.