Invention:
This technology involves the development of infectious cloned genomes from multiple species of badnviruses that infect cacao (Theobroma cacao) trees. These infectious clones allow researchers to study how the viruses interact with cacao plants to cause and spread disease. The clones are constructed using well-established vectors and can be used to reproducibly infect plants in a controlled laboratory setting, enabling consistent disease modeling. By creating infectious clones of specific badnavirus species known to severely impact cacao production, this innovation provides a powerful research tool for understanding virus-host and virus-vector dynamics. The technology has already demonstrated biological activity, producing symptoms in model plants and cacao seedlings. It serves as a foundation for developing resistant cacao varieties and improving global disease management strategies.
Background:
Badnviruses are a group of plant viruses that significantly impact cacao crops, leading to symptoms like swollen shoots, foliar mosaic, pod deformation, and eventually tree death. These viruses are especially destructive in West Africa and parts of the Americas, where cacao is a major economic and agricultural product. Current strategies, such as mealybug vector control and selective breeding for resistance, have shown only limited success. One of the major roadblocks in combating these viruses is the lack of infectious, pure-culture viral clones needed to study them thoroughly. This technology addresses a critical gap by providing biologically active infectious clones of cacao-infecting badnaviruses. Compared to previous approaches, this system allows researchers to replicate natural infections in a laboratory setting more consistently and accurately, accelerating our ability to breed virus-resistant cacao trees and develop more effective control strategies.
Applications:
- Plant virology research
- Cacao crop protection and breeding programs
- Agricultural biotechnology
- Virus-vector interaction studies
- Biosecurity and pathogen surveillance
Advantages:
- Enables controlled and reproducible virus infections for research
- Facilitates the development of virus-resistant cacao varieties
- Supports global efforts to manage cacao viral diseases
- Provides tools to study virus-vector and virus-host interactions
- Improves understanding of badnavirus diversity and pathogenicity
- Non-confidential and adaptable to various laboratory inoculation methods
