Digitaria mastrevirus

Digitaria mastrevirus is a viral plant pathogen classified within the genus Mastrevirus, family Geminiviridae. This virus possesses a single-stranded circular DNA genome and is known for causing systemic diseases in a variety of monocotyledonous plants, particularly members of the Poaceae family. Its biological cycle is tightly linked to the presence of specific insect vectors.

The virus primarily affects various grass species, including the genus Digitaria, as well as several economically important cereal crops. The presence of these grasses in field margins often serves as an overwintering reservoir, allowing the virus to persist in the environment and re-emerge during the subsequent growing season.

Symptoms of the infection typically manifest as foliar streaking or chlorotic banding. Affected plants frequently exhibit reduced biomass, stunted development, and reduced reproductive capacity. The severity of the damage is largely dependent on the stage of plant development at the time of initial infection and the overall health of the crop.

Transmission occurs exclusively through insect vectors, specifically leafhoppers. These insects acquire the virus by feeding on the phloem sap of infected plants and subsequently transmit it to healthy hosts during feeding sessions. Environmental factors, particularly warm temperatures that favor leafhopper breeding, significantly influence the rate and scale of disease transmission within a field.

Management and prevention strategies focus on reducing the primary source of the virus and managing the vector populations:

• Elimination of alternative weed hosts around field edges.
• Chemical control of leafhopper populations using appropriate insecticides.
• Selection of resistant or tolerant crop cultivars.
• Implementation of optimal planting times to minimize exposure to vectors.
• Rigorous surveillance for early symptoms to prevent the spread of the virus.