The Cucurbitaceae family is one of the most important families of plants with 15 economically relevant species worldwide. Most of these are present in America where the family is studied for its problems associated with viruses and insects, thus making it an important topic in ecology, conservation and economy. If wild plants are a reservoir for viruses then how can the ones that are struggling against viruses be distinguished? Symptoms found in plants of the Cucurbitaceae family can often indicate the presences of a virus, most commonly in the potyvirus family (genus potyvirus). In America, these symptoms are distributed throughout the Cucubitaceae family and the symptoms found in wild plants are usually a mix of viruses from different families.
Presence of virus and herbivory, are associated with increased temperature?
The aim of this study was to know the distribution of viruses in cucurbits using herbarium specimens to detect viral symptoms and herbivory on the plants. The plants were collected throughout America. Herbarium specimens were reviewed and scored based on the presence of viral symptoms, herbivory or both. Once these data were obtained, distribution maps indicating such symptoms where made using geographic information system (GIS). The genera most important to human populations based on economic purposes and food production were reviewed.
Results/Conclusions
1090 herbarium specimens were reviewed within the family Cucurbitaceae; Adobra (4), Apodanthera (53), Brandegea (5), Calycophysum (20), Cayaponia (336), Citrullus (62), Cucumis (207), Cucurbita (160), Gurania (87), Luffa (36), Melothria (86), Momordica (34). Symptoms of herbivory and viral infection were present in herbarium specimens ranging across America; in both cultivated and wild plants. Plants collected from 1970 to 1980 had a higher prevalence of symptoms, which could indicate a correlation of higher temperatures to an increase of symptoms.
Human beings are inevitably changing their environment and not putting forward enough effort to understand the problems associated with this change. As a conservationist and ecologist, I think that viruses from wild plants pose a greater danger than the virus affecting cultivated plants, because little is known about them. Climate change potentially exposes plants to more stress (such as higher temperatures) and thus wild plant viruses could become more common and damaging to crops that feed humans and animals. With this study I am hoping to understand the distributions of viral symptoms and herbivory in order to disclose the relationship between culture and emergence of new diseases in plants.