Plant Viruses in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The project proposes continuation of study on viruses infecting succulent and lesser woody vegetation present in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park (GSMNP). Abundance of plant species/varieties present in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park represents an excellent substrate for this type of study.
This proposal is based upon excellent data on plant viruses generated during the 2007 and 2009 DLIA-funded project. A number of viruses, mainly novel species to science, were detected in different plant species collected throughout the Park (including Rubus spp., Vitis spp, Rhododendron, Viburnum, Ranunculus, Ageratina, Angelica, etc) over the last two years, indicating that the flora of the GSMNP harbor rich and diversified phytovirus communities.
This research has a strong potential to enrich the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) of the GSMNP and may have larger scientific impact by discovering as yet undescribed plant virus species indigenous to this forest ecosystem.