Viral Community and Novel Viral Genomes Associated with the Sugarcane Weevil, Sphenophorus levis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Brazil

Abstract

<i>Sphenophorus levis</i>, commonly known as the sugarcane weevil, is one of the most important pests affecting Brazilian sugarcane crops. It has spread to all sugarcane-producing regions of Brazil, mainly through contaminated stalks. Effective control of this pest is difficult due to the protection conferred by the host plant during the larval stage. As a result, despite current control measures, <i>S. levis</i> populations continue to grow, and reports of new infestations remain frequent. Biotechnological control measures, such as the use of viruses, stands as a promising tool for pest control in agriculture. The aim of this study was to explore the RNA virome associated with <i>S. levis</i> using a viral metagenomic approach. Through the Read Annotation Tool (RAT) pipeline, we characterized, for the first time, the gut-associated viral community in adult weevils, identifying several novel viral genomes. <i>Sphenophorus levis</i>-associated virus (SLAV) had 12,414 nucleotides (nt); <i>Sphenophorus levis</i> tombus-like virus (SLTV) had 4085 nt; and the four genomic segments of <i>Sphenophorus levis</i> reo-like virus (SLRV) ranged from 2021 to 4386 nt. These genomes were assembled from 65,759 reads (SLAV), 114,441 reads (SLTV), and 270,384 reads (SLRV). Among the detected viral families, <i>Partitiviridae</i> was the most abundant. The identification of possible viral pathogens lays the foundation for future research into their potential use as biological control agents against <i>S. levis</i>.