Research Advances and Prospects on Molecular Biology of Rice Dwarf Disease

The dwarf disease on rice plants caused by the virus, RDV, was first reported in Japan in 1883. It is now prevalent in southeast Asia, such as Japan, Korea and China. The virus is transmitted through the green rice leafhoppers (Nephotettix cincticeps) with a persistent propagation of manner that can result in a wide spread infestation threatening the rice production and food security in the area. This article reviews the epidemiology of the disease, characterizations of viral pathogeny and transmission by insect vectors, proteins functions encoded by RDV, interactions between virus-plant or host-insect, and prospects for future studies and advancements.