Tospoviruses and Thrips-is There an Evolutionary Relationship?

Abstract

Evidence from evolutionary relationships among Thysanoptera suggest that the associations between a few unrelated species of these insects with the Bunyaviridae. Tospoviruses does not have a long evolutionary history. Since tospoviruses are fully dependent for their existence on the few vector thrips species, the implication is that tospoviruses are a recent evolutionary phenomenon. The suggestion is made that variation in vector ability might be a more useful avenue for research than plant breeding to control these essentially vertebrate viruses.