Integrating Viral Infection and Correlation Analysis in Passiflora edulis and Surrounding Weeds to Enhance Sustainable Agriculture in Republic of Korea

Abstract

Passiflora edulis, introduced to the Republic of Korea in 1989 and commercially cultivated since 2012, has faced recent challenges due to viral infections impacting growth, yield, and quality. This study aimed to investigate the viral infections in P. edulis and surrounding weeds at cultivation sites in the Republic of Korea, examining possible correlations between the infections for sustainable agriculture. Over five years, P. edulis and weed samples were collected for virus diagnosis using PCR and RT-PCR assays, analyzing the infection status in both P. edulis and weeds and across weed species/families. The findings revealed infections with EuLCV, PaLCuGdV, CMV, and EAPV in both P. edulis and weeds, with PaLCuGdV showing the highest infection rate. Although no direct correlation was found between the presence of the same viruses in P. edulis and weeds, suggesting that there may be interactions among different viruses, the study highlighted that EuLCV infection could exacerbate symptoms when coinfected by other viruses. The study underscores the importance of implementing preventive measures within greenhouses to control virus transmission, offering insights for strategic management of viral diseases in P. edulis cultivation. These findings support the sustainable production of agricultural products by providing actionable strategies, such as the removal of weeds to eliminate habitats for vectors like whiteflies and aphids and the targeted management of high-incidence weeds from the Asteraceae, Solanaceae, and Oxalidaceae families to prevent and control the spread of EuLCV.

Keywords: PCR diagnostics; Passiflora edulis; sustainable agriculture; viral infection; virus transmission control.

Figure 1

Map of research area.