{"id":{"repo_id":"brock","oai_identifier":"oai:brocku.scholaris.ca:10464/19277"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/brock/oai:brocku.scholaris.ca:10464/19277","repository":{"repo_id":"brock","name":"Brock University","base_url":"https://brocku.scholaris.ca/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Plant virus detection and diversity in a mixed tree fruit orchard determined through metagenomic-based analysis of honeybee (Apis mellifera) collected samples","abstract":"iruses pose a significant threat to agricultural production, especially in long-lived fruit orchards where profitability of individual plants can take years to achieve. Over time, fruit trees can accumulate various viruses, leading to complex mixed infections. Furthermore, emerging viruses can create epidemics causing significant losses. Effective monitoring approaches can reduce these impacts through management practices. Pollination is an essential aspect of fruit production, and pollen can also be a major transmission route for plant viruses. Honeybees (Apis mellifera) collect pollen and nectar from multiple plant individuals, and commercial honeybee pollination services are routinely used in tree fruit production systems. Applying genomics-based sequencing technologies on bees and bee-collected plant material can allow for the detection of plant viruses from multiple individuals in a wide area. Using RNA extracted from bee-related samples, plant virus diversity was profiled at Agriculture and Agrifood Canada (AAFC) Jordan Farm; a long-term mixed tree fruit production orchard in Jordan, Ontario, containing tree fruit species including apricots (Prunus armeniaca), cherries (Prunus avium), peaches (Prunus persica), and apples (Malus domestica). Genomics-based sequencing on bees and bee-related plant material collected during peak bloom periods for each plant species revealed 21 viral species. Cherry virus A (CVA), prune dwarf virus (PDV), and prunus necrotic ringspot virus (PNRSV) were the most frequently detected viruses, identified in all samples and time points. The nucleotide sequence diversity of the coat protein regions of CVA, PDV, and PNRSV was further analyzed through pairwise comparisons and phylogeny, demonstrating a large diversity of viral sequences in this system. The results of this project indicate that bee-mediated area- wide metagenomics-based virus monitoring can be applied to allow for site-specific or regional pathogen profiling and more targeted and informed management approaches.","abstract_html":"iruses pose a significant threat to agricultural production, especially in long-lived fruit orchards where profitability of individual plants can take years to achieve. Over time, fruit trees can accumulate various viruses, leading to complex mixed infections. Furthermore, emerging viruses can create epidemics causing significant losses. Effective monitoring approaches can reduce these impacts through management practices. Pollination is an essential aspect of fruit production, and pollen can also be a major transmission route for plant viruses. Honeybees (Apis mellifera) collect pollen and nectar from multiple plant individuals, and commercial honeybee pollination services are routinely used in tree fruit production systems. Applying genomics-based sequencing technologies on bees and bee-collected plant material can allow for the detection of plant viruses from multiple individuals in a wide area. Using RNA extracted from bee-related samples, plant virus diversity was profiled at Agriculture and Agrifood Canada (AAFC) Jordan Farm; a long-term mixed tree fruit production orchard in Jordan, Ontario, containing tree fruit species including apricots (Prunus armeniaca), cherries (Prunus avium), peaches (Prunus persica), and apples (Malus domestica). Genomics-based sequencing on bees and bee-related plant material collected during peak bloom periods for each plant species revealed 21 viral species. Cherry virus A (CVA), prune dwarf virus (PDV), and prunus necrotic ringspot virus (PNRSV) were the most frequently detected viruses, identified in all samples and time points. The nucleotide sequence diversity of the coat protein regions of CVA, PDV, and PNRSV was further analyzed through pairwise comparisons and phylogeny, demonstrating a large diversity of viral sequences in this system. The results of this project indicate that bee-mediated area- wide metagenomics-based virus monitoring can be applied to allow for site-specific or regional pathogen profiling and more targeted and informed management approaches.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Vansiya, Rushirajsinh"],"institution":"Brock University","degree_name":"M.Sc. Biological Sciences","degree_level":"Masters","degree_discipline":"Faculty of Mathematics and Science","degree_department":"Department of Biological Sciences","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025-04-28T17:59:54Z","date_published":"2025-04-28T17:59:54Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:23:04Z","subjects":["Virus","Plant disease","Pollination","Honeybee"],"languages":["eng"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/10464/19277","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Department of Biological Sciences"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Vansiya, Rushirajsinh"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2025-04-28T17:59:54Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2025-04-28T17:59:54Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2025-04-28T17:59:54Z"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Brock University"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Electronic Thesis or Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Faculty of Mathematics and Science"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["M.Sc. Biological Sciences"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Virus","Plant disease","Pollination","Honeybee"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["eng"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/10464/19277"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["iruses pose a significant threat to agricultural production, especially in long-lived fruit orchards where profitability of individual plants can take years to achieve. Over time, fruit trees can accumulate various viruses, leading to complex mixed infections. Furthermore, emerging viruses can create epidemics causing significant losses. Effective monitoring approaches can reduce these impacts through management practices. Pollination is an essential aspect of fruit production, and pollen can also be a major transmission route for plant viruses. Honeybees (Apis mellifera) collect pollen and nectar from multiple plant individuals, and commercial honeybee pollination services are routinely used in tree fruit production systems. Applying genomics-based sequencing technologies on bees and bee-collected plant material can allow for the detection of plant viruses from multiple individuals in a wide area. Using RNA extracted from bee-related samples, plant virus diversity was profiled at Agriculture and Agrifood Canada (AAFC) Jordan Farm; a long-term mixed tree fruit production orchard in Jordan, Ontario, containing tree fruit species including apricots (Prunus armeniaca), cherries (Prunus avium), peaches (Prunus persica), and apples (Malus domestica). Genomics-based sequencing on bees and bee-related plant material collected during peak bloom periods for each plant species revealed 21 viral species. Cherry virus A (CVA), prune dwarf virus (PDV), and prunus necrotic ringspot virus (PNRSV) were the most frequently detected viruses, identified in all samples and time points. The nucleotide sequence diversity of the coat protein regions of CVA, PDV, and PNRSV was further analyzed through pairwise comparisons and phylogeny, demonstrating a large diversity of viral sequences in this system. The results of this project indicate that bee-mediated area- wide metagenomics-based virus monitoring can be applied to allow for site-specific or regional pathogen profiling and more targeted and informed management approaches."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Plant virus detection and diversity in a mixed tree fruit orchard determined through metagenomic-based analysis of honeybee (Apis mellifera) collected samples"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.department":["Department of Biological Sciences"],"dc:creator":["Vansiya, Rushirajsinh"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2025-04-28T17:59:54Z"],"dc:date.available":["2025-04-28T17:59:54Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2025-04-28T17:59:54Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["iruses pose a significant threat to agricultural production, especially in long-lived fruit orchards where profitability of individual plants can take years to achieve. Over time, fruit trees can accumulate various viruses, leading to complex mixed infections. Furthermore, emerging viruses can create epidemics causing significant losses. Effective monitoring approaches can reduce these impacts through management practices. Pollination is an essential aspect of fruit production, and pollen can also be a major transmission route for plant viruses. Honeybees (Apis mellifera) collect pollen and nectar from multiple plant individuals, and commercial honeybee pollination services are routinely used in tree fruit production systems. Applying genomics-based sequencing technologies on bees and bee-collected plant material can allow for the detection of plant viruses from multiple individuals in a wide area. Using RNA extracted from bee-related samples, plant virus diversity was profiled at Agriculture and Agrifood Canada (AAFC) Jordan Farm; a long-term mixed tree fruit production orchard in Jordan, Ontario, containing tree fruit species including apricots (Prunus armeniaca), cherries (Prunus avium), peaches (Prunus persica), and apples (Malus domestica). Genomics-based sequencing on bees and bee-related plant material collected during peak bloom periods for each plant species revealed 21 viral species. Cherry virus A (CVA), prune dwarf virus (PDV), and prunus necrotic ringspot virus (PNRSV) were the most frequently detected viruses, identified in all samples and time points. The nucleotide sequence diversity of the coat protein regions of CVA, PDV, and PNRSV was further analyzed through pairwise comparisons and phylogeny, demonstrating a large diversity of viral sequences in this system. The results of this project indicate that bee-mediated area- wide metagenomics-based virus monitoring can be applied to allow for site-specific or regional pathogen profiling and more targeted and informed management approaches."],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/10464/19277"],"dc:language.iso":["eng"],"dc:publisher":["Brock University"],"dc:subject":["Virus","Plant disease","Pollination","Honeybee"],"dc:title":["Plant virus detection and diversity in a mixed tree fruit orchard determined through metagenomic-based analysis of honeybee (Apis mellifera) collected samples"],"dc:type":["Electronic Thesis or Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Faculty of Mathematics and Science"],"thesis:degree_level":["Masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["M.Sc. Biological Sciences"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:23:04Z"}