Metagenomic analysis of the virome of Cosmopolites sordidus and Sphenophorus levis

"It is estimated that banana cultivation directly or indirectly employs over 300,000 workers in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Among the factors limiting this crop in the state is Banana Fusariosis (FB), also known as Panama Disease. This disease, caused by the soil fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc), is considered the most destructive for this crop and causes serious losses in the main producing regions of the state, either by reducing productivity or rendering land unsuitable for planting. In Sao Paulo, the largest Brazilian producer, FB continues to increase with losses of up to 100% in the case of the highly susceptible 'Apple' variety.Managing FB is difficult and complex. This complexity is compounded by the perennial cultivation of banana plants and the long survival period of Foc in the soil. One way to enhance success in FB management is to understand the role of predisposing factors and reduce their impact. Several biotic factors (rhizome borers, soil and plant microbiome, phytonematodes, etc.) and abiotic factors (soil acidity, nitrogen sources, nutrient availability, physical attributes, among others) may be related to the intensity of FB. Management strategies that minimize the effects of these factors could reduce losses caused by FB and increase crop productivity.Cosmopolites sordidus, known as the banana rhizome borer, is estimated to cause an average of 30% production loss. This fact, combined with the high populations of borers identified in Sao Paulo, indicates that the control methods used are not effective and that new management alternatives are necessary, especially considering the withdrawal of carbofuran, the main insecticide used for borer control in Brazil, from the market.Various viral pathogens have been reported in beetles worldwide, and some can cause significant mortality in specific pest insect populations. Identifying these viral pathogens is the first step in investigating their potential as biocontrol agents, but no previous work regarding Cosmopolites sordidus was found. Therefore, the objective of this activity is to explore the virome of C. sordidus to identify potential candidates for its biological control using the RNA sequencing tool (metagenomics). Sphenophorus levis, also known as the sugarcane weevil, belongs to the Curculionidae family, just like Cosmopolites sordidus (banana weevil). Therefore, the information gathered for both species will be analyzed comparatively. Information available about viruses in Cosmopolites sordidus is practically non-existent, so it is essential for the discussion of these results to obtain comparable information in a related species of importance in Brazil.