Thrips viruses
This study aims to identify and characterize viruses associated with thrips infesting cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) crops in Iraq using high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Samples of thrips were collected from infected cucumber fields across different geographic regions, and total RNA was extracted from these insect samples for metatranscriptomic analysis. The sequencing data were used to detect known and potentially novel viruses, analyze viral diversity, and assess the virome composition associated with thrips populations. This work provides valuable insights into virus-vector relationships, the epidemiology of thrips-transmitted viruses in Iraq, and supports the development of effective disease management strategies in cucurbit crops.