ABSTRACT:
Mycoviruses i.e. viruses infecting fungus are reviewed with emphasis on plant pathogenic Phytophthora sp. Hypovirulent or debilitated strains of plant pathogenic fungi, carrying transmissible viruses, greatly noticed by many researchers because of their potential utilization as bio-control agents, as well as their use as probes for deciphering the mechanisms of fungal pathogenesis. The Phytophthora sp. is a genus classified in oomycetes, which includes more than one hundred twenty highly invasive plant pathogens species. Most mycoviruses has property of hypovirulence i.e. reduce the ability of their fungal hosts to cause disease in plants. This property has attracted attention because using one pathogen to control another is appealing ecologically. Previous studies on Phytophthora sp. mycoviruses has enhanced our knowledge regarding their properties. In this review, an attempt was made to increase the knowledge regarding interaction between Phytophthora sp. and their mycoviruses which may lead to their successful use as biocontrol agent.