Genes, Genetics and Transgenics for Virus Resistance in Plants

Abstract

Viral diseases of crop plants cause significant yield losses, which is a major threat to global food security. Unlike other pests and pathogens, the only remedy available for control of plant viral diseases is through introgression of resistance trait, either through conventional breeding or through genetic engineering. Availability of few natural sources of virus resistance has hampered development of virus resistant crop plants through conventional crop improvement methods. Thus genetic engineering for virus resistance is the sole option available for effective management of viral diseases. Since the first report on transgenic virus resistance in tobacco in 1986, humungous progress is made in understanding of the molecular basis of virus resistance, complimented by the significant improvement in the tools and techniques used for genetic engineering. Despite major advancements in plant genomics and transgenics, there has been no commercialization of virus resistant transgenic crops, except transgenic papaya. Thus to provide an up-to-date reference book on “Genes, Genetics and Transgenics for Virus Resistance in Plants” for the students, faculties and researchers, here we have compiled fifteen diverse chapters. In the first chapter the current knowledge on mechanisms of virus resistance in plants is discussed, followed by a chapter on “Role of Host transcription Factors in modulating Defense response during Plant-Virus Interaction”, and a chapter on role of Epigenetics in Host-Virus Interactions. There is a chapter on how Molecular Markers could be employed as Tools for Identification and Introgression of Virus Resistant Genes. This book also thoroughly discusses on the principles and methods involved in Genetic Engineering for Virus Resistance in Plants. The book also elaborates on topical application of double stranded RNA for control of plant viral diseases, without having to develop transgenic plants. Further the book deals with individual crops such as papaya, cassava, rice, tomato, and banana, for which virus resistance has been accomplished by employing different transgenic technologies. The management of whitefly-transmitted Begomoviruses and advances in the Control of their Vectors is also covered as an independent chapter. Virus induced gene silencing (VIGS), another frontier area of research in which virus derived silencing vectors are extensively used in gene function studies and functional genomics is also discussed elaborately.