Characterization of the Tuta absoluta virome reveals higher viral diversity in field populations

A significant number of insect-specific viruses (ISVs) have been discovered in agriculturally important insect pests, facilitated by high-throughput sequencing (HTS). Despite its global impact on tomato crops, the RNA virome of the South American tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta , remains uncharacterized. In this study, we utilized meta-transcriptomics and bioinformatic approaches to discover the RNA virome of T. absoluta across worldwide populations. We identified ten novel ISVs, classified into six groups: Nidovirales, Bunyavirales, Mononegavirales, Virgaviridae , Iflaviridae , Nodaviridae , Solemoviridae , and Phasmaviridae . Notably, no core virus was consistently present across the studied populations, and field-collected samples revealed a greater diversity of ISVs compared to those from laboratory samples. In addition, we detected plant-infecting viruses and mycoviruses associated with the pest. This study represents the first description of the RNA virome associated with T. absoluta , providing valuable insights into its biological and ecological interactions. It also lay the foundation for future studies aimed to clarify the biological roles of ISVs.