New Findings in Mosaic Viruses Described from Tohoku University (Screening Brassica Rapa for Broad-spectrum Resistance To Turnip Mosaic Virus).

A recent report from Tohoku University in Miyagi, Japan discusses the threat of Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) to Brassica crops and the importance of genetic-based viral resistance. The researchers screened over 90 accessions from the Tohoku University Brassica Seed Bank and identified two USA accessions that exhibited extreme resistance to all tested TuMV isolates. Through genetic analysis, the researchers found several amino acid substitutions associated with resistance/susceptibility responses. The findings suggest that these broad-spectrum resistant accessions are valuable resources for breeding Brassica crops. [Extracted from the article]