biostudies-literatureUnknown16(10)Debat HThe maize leafhopper (<i>Dalbulus maidis</i>) is a significant threat to maize crops in tropical and subtropical regions, causing extensive economic losses. While its ecological interactions and control strategies are well studied, its associated viral diversity remains largely unexplored. Here, we employ high-throughput sequencing data mining to comprehensively characterize the <i>D. maidis</i> RNA virome, revealing novel and diverse RNA viruses. We characterized six new viral members belonging to distinct families, with evolutionary cues of beny-like viruses (<i>Benyviridae</i>), bunya-like viruses (<i>Bunyaviridae</i>) iflaviruses (<i>Iflaviridae</i>), orthomyxo-like viruses (<i>Orthomyxoviridae</i>), and rhabdoviruses (<i>Rhabdoviridae</i>). Phylogenetic analysis of the iflaviruses plaViruses1583https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11512364biostudies-literatureInsights into the RNA Virome of the Corn Leafhopper &lt;i&gt;Dalbulus maidis&lt;/i&gt;, a Major Emergent Threat of Maize in Latin America.PMC11512364Bejerman NDebat HFarrher ESfalseInsights into the RNA Virome of the Corn Leafhopper &lt;i&gt;Dalbulus maidis&lt;/i&gt;, a Major Emergent Threat of Maize in Latin America.The maize leafhopper (<i>Dalbulus maidis</i>) is a significant threat to maize crops in tropical and subtropical regions, causing extensive economic losses. While its ecological interactions and control strategies are well studied, its associated viral diversity remains largely unexplored. Here, we employ high-throughput sequencing data mining to comprehensively characterize the <i>D. maidis</i> RNA virome, revealing novel and diverse RNA viruses. We characterized six new viral members belonging to distinct families, with evolutionary cues of beny-like viruses (<i>Benyviridae</i>), bunya-like viruses (<i>Bunyaviridae</i>) iflaviruses (<i>Iflaviridae</i>), orthomyxo-like viruses (<i>Orthomyxoviridae</i>), and rhabdoviruses (<i>Rhabdoviridae</i>). Phylogenetic analysis of the iflaviruses pla2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Oct2026-04-14T03:20:27.774Z2025-04-04T00:29:54.38ZS-EPMC115123643945991710.3390/v16101583