# Topics and Trends in Most Cited Plant Virus Research Studies Papers, Class of 2026

*Canonical URL: https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/plant-virus-research-studies/2026*

## What topics and trends defined most-cited Plant Virus Research Studies research in the Class of 2026?

The class of 2024 plant virus research is heavily defined by model organisms like Nicotiana benthamiana and the integration of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing tools. A notable shift towards studying liquid-liquid phase separation and biomolecular condensates reflects a growing focus on precise subcellular viral-host interactions.

## At a glance

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Field | Plant Virus Research Studies |
| Cohort label | Class of 2026 (2024 publications) |
| Papers analyzed | 6200 |
| Papers ranked | 20 |
| Top topics in ranked papers | Nicotiana benthamiana, CRISPR-Cas9, Biomolecular condensates, Liquid-liquid phase separation |
| Publication window | Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024 |
| Eligibility | Research articles; reviews excluded |
| Citation window | 18 months post-publication |
| 18m citation range | 22–76 |
| Data source | OpenAlex · Retrieved July 2026 |
| License | CC BY 4.0 |

## Rankings

| Rank | Title | Authors | Corresponding authors | Affiliation | Journal | 18m citations | DOI |
| ---: | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---: | --- |
| 1 | Birth of protein folds and functions in the virome | Jason Nomburg, Erin E Doherty, Nathan Price, Daniel Bellieny-Rabelo, Yong K Zhu, Jennifer A Doudna | Jennifer A. Doudna | Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Data Science and Biotechnology, United States | Nature | 76 | 10.1038/s41586-024-07809-y |
| 2 | TMV-CP based rational design and discovery of α-Amide phosphate derivatives as anti plant viral agents | Shunhong Chen, Zhaokai Yang, Wei Sun, Kuan Tian, Ping Sun, Jian Wu | Jian Wu | Guizhou University, China | Bioorganic Chemistry | 57 | 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107415 |
| 3 | Combating wheat yellow mosaic virus through microbial interactions and hormone pathway modulations | Fangyan Wang, Haoqing Zhang, Hongwei Liu, Chuanfa Wu, Yi Wan, Lifei Zhu, Jian Yang, Peng Cai, Jianping Chen, Tida Ge | Haoqing Zhang, Tida Ge | Ningbo University, China | Microbiome | 47 | 10.1186/s40168-024-01911-z |
| 4 | Synthesis of 4<i>H</i>-Pyrazolo[3,4-<i>d</i>]pyrimidin-4-one Hydrazine Derivatives as a Potential Inhibitor for the Self-Assembly of TMV Particles | Ya Wang, Shengxin Guo, Wei Sun, Hong Tu, Yao Tang, Ying Xu, Renjiang Guo, Zhichao Zhao, Zhaokai Yang, Jian Wu | Zhaokai Yang, Jian Wu | Guizhou University, China | Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry | 44 | 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c05334 |
| 5 | Heritable gene editing in tomato through viral delivery of isopentenyl transferase and single-guide RNAs to latent axillary meristematic cells | Degao Liu, Evan E Ellison, Erik A Myers, Lilee I Donahue, Shuya Xuan, Ryan Swanson, Songyan Qi, Lynn E Prichard, Colby G Starker, Daniel F Voytas | Degao Liu, Evan E. Ellison, Daniel F. Voytas | University of Minnesota, United States | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences | 39 | 10.1073/pnas.2406486121 |
| 6 | Nanomaterial inactivates environmental virus and enhances plant immunity for controlling tobacco mosaic virus disease | Qinhong Jiang, Yonghui Xie, Bingcheng Zhou, Zhijiang Wang, Dekai Ning, Hongming Li, Junzheng Zhang, Meizhen Yin, Jie Shen, Shuo Yan | Jie Shen, Shuo Yan | China Agricultural University, China | Nature Communications | 38 | 10.1038/s41467-024-52851-z |
| 7 | Integrating viruses into soil food web biogeochemistry | Cátia Carreira, Christian Lønborg, Basistha Acharya, Laxman Aryal, Zivile Buivydaite, Felipe Borim Corrêa, Tingting Chen, Christine Lorenzen Elberg, Joanne B Emerson, Luke Hillary, Ram B Khadka, Valérie Langlois, Kyle Mason-Jones, Tarquin Netherway, Suvi Sutela, Gareth Trubl, Arno Wa Kang'eri, Ruiqi Wang, Richard Allen White, Anne Winding, Tianci Zhao, Rumakanta Sapkota | Cátia Carreira | Aarhus University, Denmark | Nature Microbiology | 37 | 10.1038/s41564-024-01767-x |
| 8 | Plants interfere with non-self recognition of a phytopathogenic fungus via proline accumulation to facilitate mycovirus transmission | Du Hai, Jincang Li, Daohong Jiang, Jiasen Cheng, Yanping Fu, Xueqiong Xiao, Huanran Yin, Yang Lin, Tao Chen, Bo Li, Xiao Yu, Qing Cai, Wei Chen, Ioly Kotta-Loizou, Jiatao Xie | Jiǎtāo Xiè | Huazhong Agricultural University, China | Nature Communications | 35 | 10.1038/s41467-024-49110-6 |
| 9 | Activation of plant immunity through conversion of a helper NLR homodimer into a resistosome | Muniyandi Selvaraj, AmirAli Toghani, Hsuan Pai, Yu Sugihara, Jiorgos Kourelis, Enoch Lok Him Yuen, Tarhan Ibrahim, He Zhao, Rongrong Xie, Abbas Maqbool, Juan Carlos De la Concepcion, Mark J Banfield, Lida Derevnina, Benjamin Petre, David M Lawson, Tolga O Bozkurt, Chih-Hang Wu, Sophien Kamoun, Mauricio P Contreras | Muniyandi Selvaraj, AmirAli Toghani, Hsuan Pai, Yu Sugihara, Jiorgos Kourelis, Enoch Lok Him Yuen, Tarhan Ibrahim, He Zhao, Rongrong Xie, Abbas Maqbool, Juan Carlos De la Concepción, Mark J. Banfield, Lida Derevnina, Benjamin Pêtre, David M. Lawson, Tolga O. Bozkurt, Chih‐Hang Wu, Sophien Kamoun, Mauricio P. Contreras | University of East Anglia, United Kingdom | PLoS Biology | 34 | 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002868 |
| 10 | Precision Agriculture Through Deep Learning: Tomato Plant Multiple Diseases Recognition With CNN and Improved YOLOv7 | Muhammad Umar, Saud Altaf, Shafiq Ahmad, Haitham A. Mahmoud, Adamali Shah Noor Mohamed, Rashid Ayub | Muhammad Umar | Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Pakistan | IEEE Access | 32 | 10.1109/access.2024.3383154 |
| 11 | Design, Synthesis, and Biological Activities of Novel Coumarin Derivatives as Pesticide Candidates | Henan Ma, Kaihua Wang, Beibei Wang, Ziwen Wang, Yuxiu Liu, Qingmin Wang | Ziwen Wang, Qingmin Wang | Tianjin Normal University, China | Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry | 32 | 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c08161 |
| 12 | The role of reactive oxygen species in plant-virus interactions | Yao Xu, Sutong Zhang, Mengyuan Zhang, Sibo Jiao, Yifan Guo, Tong Jiang | Tong Jiang | Liaocheng University, China | Plant Cell Reports | 28 | 10.1007/s00299-024-03280-1 |
| 13 | Advancing common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) disease detection with YOLO driven deep learning to enhance agricultural AI | Daniela Gomez, Michael Gomez Selvaraj, Jorge Casas, Kavino Mathiyazhagan, Michael Rodriguez, Teshale Assefa, Anna Mlaki, Goodluck Nyakunga, Fred Kato, Clare Mukankusi, Ellena Girma, Gloria Mosquera, Victoria Arredondo, Ernesto Espitia | Michael Gomez Selvaraj | International Center for Tropical Agriculture, Colombia | Scientific Reports | 26 | 10.1038/s41598-024-66281-w |
| 14 | Rapid and efficient <i>in planta</i> genome editing in sorghum using foxtail mosaic virus‐mediated sgRNA delivery | Can Baysal, Albert P Kausch, Jon P Cody, Fredy Altpeter, Daniel F Voytas | Daniel F. Voytas | DOE Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation, United States | The Plant Journal | 25 | 10.1111/tpj.17196 |
| 15 | Development of an efficient and heritable virus-induced genome editing system in <i>Solanum lycopersicum</i> | HuiJun Lee, Ji Eun Baik, Kyung-Nam Kim | Kyung-Nam Kim | Sejong University, South Korea | Horticulture Research | 25 | 10.1093/hr/uhae364 |
| 16 | A plant NLR receptor employs ABA central regulator PP2C-SnRK2 to activate antiviral immunity | Shen Huang, Chunli Wang, Zixuan Ding, Yaqian Zhao, Jing Dai, Jia Li, Haining Huang, Tongkai Wang, Min Zhu, Mingfeng Feng, Yinghua Ji, Zhongkai Zhang, Xiaorong Tao | Xiaorong Tao | Nanjing Agricultural University, China | Nature Communications | 24 | 10.1038/s41467-024-47364-8 |
| 17 | Identification of pathogenicity determinants in ToLCNDV and their RNAi-based knockdown for disease management in Nicotiana benthamiana and tomato plants | Mehulee Sarkar, Dipinte Gupta, Oinam Washington Singh, Samrat Paul, Ravinder Kumar, Bikash Mandal, Anirban Roy | Bikash Mandal, Anirban Roy | ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, India | Frontiers in Microbiology | 23 | 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1481523 |
| 18 | A deep learning approach for Maize Lethal Necrosis and Maize Streak Virus disease detection | Tony O’Halloran, George Obaido, Bunmi Otegbade, Ibomoiye Domor Mienye | George Obaido | National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland | Machine Learning with Applications | 22 | 10.1016/j.mlwa.2024.100556 |
| 19 | Alleviating protein-condensation-associated damage at the endoplasmic reticulum enhances plant disease tolerance | Zhijuan Tang, Shaosong Shi, Ruixia Niu, Yulu Zhou, Zhao Wang, Rongrong Fu, Rui Mou, Suming Chen, Pingtao Ding, Guoyong Xu | Guoyong Xu | Wuhan University, China | Cell Host & Microbe | 22 | 10.1016/j.chom.2024.07.013 |
| 20 | A viral protein activates the MAPK pathway to promote viral infection by downregulating callose deposition in plants | Lixiao Feng, Xiangwen Luo, Liping Huang, Yu Zhang, Fangfang Li, Shijun Li, Zhanhong Zhang, Xiao Yang, Xin Wang, Xian OuYang, Xiaobin Shi, Deyong Zhang, Xiaorong Tao, Jianping Chen, Jian Yang, Songbai Zhang, Yong Liu | Jian Yang, Zhang Song-bai, Yong Liu | Hunan University, China | Nature Communications | 22 | 10.1038/s41467-024-54467-9 |

## Topic trends

### What Topics Define the Class of 2026?

The Class of 2026 in plant virus research exhibits a strong emphasis on precise molecular mechanisms and advanced editing tools. Nicotiana benthamiana remains the dominant model organism for investigating viral processes. A key defining characteristic of this cohort is the rapid integration of CRISPR-Cas9 technologies, driving research into heritable genome editing, somatic cell modifications, and Cas9-expressing transgenic plants. Additionally, the exploration of biomolecular condensates and liquid-liquid phase separation within the endoplasmic reticulum points towards a deeper understanding of cellular environments and viral replication processes.

*Leading research themes*

### How Did Topics Shift from the Class of 2025 to the Class of 2026?

A distinct transition is occurring from traditional studies to highly targeted molecular interventions. The emergence of concepts like CRISPR-Cas9 and heritable genome editing indicates a massive surge in translational editing applications. Furthermore, the rapid rise of biomolecular condensates and liquid-liquid phase separation highlights a new frontier in understanding viral-host interactions at the subcellular level, marking a significant methodological evolution from the previous year's focus. The application of Convolutional Neural Networks also suggests a growing interdisciplinary approach to automated disease detection.

*How topics shifted year over year*

## Cite this ranking

```
Pepkio Research Index (PRI). Topics and Trends in Most Cited Plant Virus Research Studies Papers, Class of 2026. https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/plant-virus-research-studies/2026. Accessed 2026-07-17.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459
```