A novel maize-infecting mastrevirus from La Réunion Island

Abstract

Despite extensive sampling, only one virus belonging to the genus Mastrevirus of the family Geminiviridae, maize streak virus (MSV), has until now been detected in maize with maize streak disease (MSD) symptoms. Here, we report for the first time a second, highly divergent, mastrevirus isolated from two maize plants displaying characteristic MSD-like symptoms, sampled on the South-west Indian Ocean Island, La Réunion. The two isolates shared <57 % genome-wide identity with all other known mastreviruses. We propose calling the new species Maize streak Réunion virus.