Use of plant viruses as bioherbicides: the first virus‐based bioherbicide and future opportunities

Abstract

Until recently, only a few plant viruses had been studied for use as biological control agents for weeds, but none was developed into a registered bioherbicide. This position changed in 2015 when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted an unrestricted Section 3 registration for tobacco mild green mosaic virus (TMGMV) strain U2 as an herbicide active ingredient (a.i.) for a commercial bioherbicide (SolviNix LC). It is approved for the control of tropical soda apple (TSA, Solanum viarum), an invasive ‘noxious weed’ in the United States. TSA is a problematic weed in cattle pastures and natural areas in Florida. The TMGMV‐U2 product kills TSA consistently, completely, and within a few weeks after its application. It is part of the TSA integrated best management practice (BMP) in Florida along with approved chemical herbicides and a classical biocontrol agent, Gratiana boliviana (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). TMGMV is nonpathogenic and nontoxic to humans, animals, and other fauna, environmentally safe, and as effective as chemical herbicides. Unlike the insect biocontrol agent, TMGMV kills and eliminates the weed from fields and helps recycle the dead biomass in the soil. Here the discovery, proof of concept, mode of action, risk analyses, application methods and tools, field testing, and development of the virus as the commercial product are reviewed. Also reviewed here are the data and scientific justifications advanced to answer the concerns raised about the use of the virus as a herbicide. The prospects for discovery and development of other plant‐virus‐based bioherbicides are discussed.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Host‐virus interaction between tobacco mild green mosaic virus strain U2 and tropical soda apple resulting in systemic hypersensitive necrosis and the host range, survival, spread, and molecular characterization of the virus

“…In subsequent studies, the TMGMV-U2 inoculum was produced in greenhouse-grown Samsun nn plants and purified in the laboratory by known methods, 18,19 or it was industrially produced from the same host as described. 20 The latter was termed the technical grade active ingredient (TGAI) for registration purposes.…”

Getting Hold of the Tobamovirus Particle – Why and How? Purification Routes over Time and a New Customizable Approach

“…They span from vaccines, adjuvants and test antigens [124][125][126][127][128][129] to the intravital delivery of tobamovirus diagnostic imaging agents and therapeutics, with cutting-edge multitasking and theranostic approaches [130,131]. Inactivated tobacco mild green mosaic virus (TMGMV) shows agronomic promise for a root-directed supply of pesticides [132], with the plus that the replicating TMGMV is also approved as herbicide against invasive plants in the U.S., due to its limited risk of spread and its natural occurrence [133]. This would make inefficient virus inactivation due to technical failures manageable.…”

Non-chemical management of weeds through bioherbicides: current status, market, development, constraints and future prospects

“…It has been found to have all the desirable features to be developed as a bioherbicide for TSA (Charudattan and Hibbert, 2007;Charudattan et al, 2008). Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) USA granted approval of SolviNix LC, a virus -based, bioherbicide, for registration for the first time in 2014 and is currently available in the market for commercial use (Charudattan, 2023).…”