emerging-pathogens
Emerging pathogens are newly identified or rapidly spreading disease-causing microorganisms—including fungi, bacteria, viruses, and oomycetes—that pose novel threats to plant populations. As global trade, climate change, and habitat disruption accelerate pathogen movement and evolution, plants encounter disease agents to which they have little or no established resistance. Understanding and monitoring these pathogens is critical for protecting agricultural crops, native ecosystems, and biodiversity before outbreaks become catastrophic.
PubMed · 2026-04-09
Scientists have identified 32 previously unknown virus species that infect plants, all belonging to a group called rhabdoviruses. This significantly expands our understanding of how many different plant-attacking viruses exist in nature.
32 putative novel virus species were discovered, all within the plant-infecting rhabdovirus family (Rhabdoviridae).
The discoveries substantially expand the known diversity of rhabdoviruses capable of infecting plants.
Supplementary genomic or sequence data was published alongside the study, providing a resource for future research and detection efforts.