What do lettuce chlorosis virus, yambean mosaic virus and an unknown cogu virus have in common?

Abstract

During a 2021 disease survey of the beautiful Northern Peninsular Area (NPA) of Australia with some talented Northern Australian Quarantine strategy (NAQS) staff and Indigenous rangers, a sample of calopo (Calopogonium mucanoides) or wild ground nut, was taken. This unsuspecting calopo plant was hanging out on a wire fence in Umagico hiding its secrets within. But a couple of plant pathologists noticed its wrinkled leaves and mild mosaic pattern which alerted them to something being a bit suspicious. The leaves of the calopo were taken to a not so secrete lab in Brisbane where testing revealed a poty virus was hiding. A general poty PCR revealed it to be yambean mosaic virus (YBMV) not previously reported in Australia. Don’t worry, biosecurity was alerted! It could have all stopped there, but some pathologists need to know more (or don’t know when to stop), so the calopo RNA was sent for high throughput sequencing and then the true secrets were revealed. This plant had not just one new incursion, but three! A plant virologist dream (or is it a nightmare?). The findings and implications will be discussed.