Journal of Citrus Pathology

Interaction between viruses is one of the major factors that determines viral population structure or equilibrium, which is a determinant of virus pathogenesis. If we could manipulate virus interactions, we could potentially limit the effects of disease. Using citrus tristeza virus (CTV) as a model, we examined if we could alter the equilibrium of a population by adding different CTV genotypes or other citrus pathogens. We found that population structure could be altered through the addition of specific CTV genotypes, disrupting existing interactions and selectively changing the titer of specific genotypes, while the addition of other citrus viruses or viroids did not have an effect.