Overview

Viruses of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) cause significant losses worldwide in dietary protein, cooking oil and sources of revenue. The dietary and financial significance is especially true in many regions of Africa, such as Malawi. Groundnut rosette disease is the most important viral disease of groundnut in Africa, while tomato spotted wilt virus is now the most important viral pathogen of groundnut in the United States. Only limited field resistance is available for either virus in cultivars that have less than superior agronomic traits. The use of pesticides against insect vectors of the viruses is not practical because of high costs in Africa and ineffectiveness in the United States, aside from the negative effects of pesticides on the environment.