Metagenomics of Plant Viruses: Tools and Applications

Abstract

Metagenomics which has gained considerable attention in recent years, offers a powerful tool for detecting plant viruses which possess a serious threat to agriculture, food security, and biodiversity globally. Traditionally, methods of diagnosis such as serological techniques, often fail to detect unknown, divergent or emergent type of viruses. However, metagenomic approaches have made it possible to characterize such viruses on a larger scale. This review provides an overview of metagenomic strategies used for plant virological studies with major emphasis on next generation sequencing technologies and bioinformatic tools used for data processing and analysis. Furthermore, applications with reference to biotechnology, nanotechnology, agriculture, and environmental studies emphasizing its role in plant virus management are also mentioned. Though significant progress made, several knowledge gaps still persist, which requires attention to enhance the utility of metagenomics for studying plant viruses, are also discussed in this review.