Texas A&M AgriLife researchers developed the first infectious clone of tomato spotted wilt virus in the United States, the university's newsroom reported on October 1. The tool lets scientists study how the virus behaves in plants.
The team says the clone gives researchers a shared starting point for experiments and can help them examine disease severity, crop detection and insect transmission.
Tomato spotted wilt virus affects more than 1,000 varieties of produce and ornamental plants. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates it causes $100 million in annual crop damage across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
The research tool may help future efforts to develop resistant crops and manage the disease. It has not yet produced new resistant varieties or lower grocery prices.
