this post was submitted on 13 Sep 2024
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Mildly Interesting
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You seem knowledgeable in this matter, so let me ask you: is this harmful to humans? What is the harm of this watermelon virus?
No it is not harmful to humans. This virus like most others others like it only infect plants. It is transmitted by aphids. So it survives inside of them but doesn't replicate.
In watermelons it damages the new growth, especially the leaves. This reduces the plants ability to phosynthesize sugars and stops fruit production.
So I’m popping in this thread to ask how does the virus survive if it kills? Is the plan to spread before that happens?
PRSV doesn't immediately kill the plant. It kills it slowly over quite some time. It replicates in the growing point of the plant. This conveniently is the same location where aphids feed.
The aphids then transfer the virus to a new plant. Plant viruses have a wide range of host species and they move around with their vectors.
For more information, Here is an excellent write up on the virus.
https://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/disandpath/viral/pdlessons/Pages/PapayaRingspotvirus.aspx
Ah that makes sense, thanks for the detailed write up