Elliot Watanabe Kitajima, Brazilian plant virologist and microscopist (Registro, São Paulo State 12 August 1936 –

From Japanese ancestry

Authored about 500 papers with 4,500 citations (Web of Science) and/or 11,000 citations (Google Scholar)

Showed the Citrus tristeza disease virus

With D.M. Silva, A.R. Oliveira, G.W. Muller e A.S. Costa. Thread-like particles associated with tristeza disease of citrus. Nature 201:1011-2, 1964

Showed that citrus leprosis is a virosis

With G.W. Muller, A.S. Costa & W. Yuki. Short, rod-like particles associated with Citrus leprosis. Virology 50(1):254-8, 1972

Found that citrus leprosis symptoms may be caused by two distinct viruses

With J.C.V. Rodrigues & C.M. Chagas. Brevipalpus-transmitted plant virus and virus-like diseases: cytopathology and some recent cases. Exper. Appl. Acarol. 30(1):135-60, 2003

Performed the first studies about lipid droplets in leaf cells of Rubiaceae

With C.C. Landim. Unusual structure of lipid droplets presente in leaf cells of Coffea. Bragantia 27(2):78-80, 1968

DESCRIBED NEW VIRUS & DISEASES

With C.M. Kaufmann, A.J. Boari, R. Blawid & T. Nagata. Detection of a new Fabavirus in black pepper by next-generation sequencing (2021)

With R.G. Dietzen, N. Bejerman, Y. Mei, C.L.J. Lee, C. Chabi-Jesus, J. Freitas-Astua & S.M. Veras. Joá yellow blotch-associated virus, a new alphanucleorhabdovirus from a wild solanaceous plant in Brazil. Arch. Virol. 166 Suppl.):1-8, 2021

With A.T.M. Lima, A. Orilio, M.M.S. Almeida, C. Rocha, F.M. Zerbini et al. Malvaviscus yellow mosaic virus, a divergent begomovirus carrying a nanovirus-like nonanucleotide and a modified stem-loop structure. Ann. Appl. Biology 179(1), 2021

With K.F.C. Pantoja, A. Boari, B.R. De Marchi, J.A.M. Rezende, R. Gonçalves, G.M.L. Assis, R. Blawid & R. Krause-Sakate. Arachis virus Y, a new potyvirid from Brazilian forage peanut (Arachis pintoi). Arch. Virol. 165(2), 2020

With A.E. Faria, E.S. Gorayeb, V.M. Camelo-Garcia, J. Bonin, T. Nagata, J.M. F. Silva, A. Bogo, J.A. M. Rezende & F.N. Da Silva Molecular and biological characterization of a putative new sobemovirus infecting Physalis peruviana. Arch. Virol. 164:1-6, 2019

With C. Chabi-Jesus, P. Ramos-Gonzalez, A. D. Tassi, O. Guerra-Perlaza, R. Harakava, J. E. A. Bessera Jr, R. B. Salaroli & J. Freitas-Astua. Identification and characterization of citrus chlorotic spot virus, a new dichorhavirus associated with citrus leprosis-like symptoms. Plant Disease 102, 2018

With P. Ramos-Gonzalez, C. Chabi-Jesus, O. Guerra-Perlaza, A. D. Tassi, R. Harakava & J. Freitas-Astua. Citrus leprosis virus N: a new dichorhavirus causing citrus leprosis disease. Phytopathology 107, 2017

With J.A. M. Rezende, V.M. Camelo-Garcia, S.C.S. Andrade, J.E. Bruriolla & L.M. L. Duarte. Biological and molecular characterization of a putative new potexvirus infecting Senna occidentalis. Archives of Virology 161:1-5, 2016.

With R.G. Dietzen, J.H. Kuhn, A.N. Clawson, J. Freitas-Astúa, M.M. Goodin, H. Kondo, T. Whetzel & A.E. Whitfield. Dichorhavirus: a proposed new genus for Brevipalpus mite-transmitted, nuclear, bacilliform, bipartite, negative-strand RNA plant viruses. Archives of Virology 159:607-19, 2013

With A.S. de Oliveira; F.L. Melo; A.K. Inoue-Nagata; T. Nagata, R.O. Resende & J.M. Qiu. Characterization of Bean Necrotic Mosaic Virus: A Member of a Novel Evolutionary Lineage within the Genus Tospovirus. Plos One 7:e38634, 2012.

With V.C. Oliveira, T. Nagata; F.C. Guimarães, F.A. Ferreira, C. Nicolini, R. O. Resende, A.K. Inoue-Nagata. Characterization of a novel tymovirus on tomato plants in Brazil. Virus Genes 46:190-4, 2012

With S.C. Maciel, R.F. Da Silva, M.S. Reis, A. Jadao, D.D. Rosa, J. Giampan, J.A.M. Rezende & L. E. A. Camargo. Characterization of a new potyvirus causing mosaic and flower variegation in Catharanthus roseus in Brazil. Scientia Agrícola 68:687-90, 2011

With K. S. Kubo; P. T. O. Ferreira; B. K. Alcantara; A. J. Boari; R. T. Gomes; J. Freitas-Astua; J. A. M. Rezende; G. J. Moraes & R. B. Salaroli. Clerodendrum chlorotic spot: a disease caused by a nuclear type of Brevipalpus (Acari: Tenuipalpidae)-transmitted virus. Scientia Agricola 65:36-49, 2008

With N. Lucinda, T. Nagata, A. K. Inoue-Nagata & R.B. Salaroli. Brugmansia suaveolens mottle virus, a novel potyvirus causing leaf mottling of Brugmansia suaveolens in Brazil. Archives of Virology 153:1971-6, 2008

With J. Skare; I. Wijkamp, I. Denham, J. A. M. Rezende, J.W. Park, B. Desvoyes, C. Rush, K. Scholthof & H. Scholthof. A new eriophyid mite-borne membrane-enveloped virus-like complex isolated from plants. Virology 347 (2):343-53, 2006.

With D. C. Teixeira, J. Ayres, F. A. O. Tanaka, L. Danet, S. Jagoueix-Eveillard & J.M. Bove. First report of a huanglongbing-like disease ofr citrus in São Paulo State, Brazil, and association of a new Liberibacter species, Candidatus Liberobacter americanus with the disease. Plant Disease 89(1):107, 2005

With T. Nagata, D. M. T. Alves, A. K. Inoue-Nagata, T. Tian, J. E. Cardoso & A. C. Avila. A novel melon flexivirus transmitted by whitefly. Archives of Virology 150:379-87, 2005.

With M. Maccheroni, M. C. Alegria, M. Bar-Joseph, P. Arruda, J. P. Kitajima, F. C. Reinach, J. A. Ferro & A. C. C. Silva. Identification and genomic characterization of a new virus (Tymoviridae family) associated with citrus sudden death disease. Journal of Virology 79(5):3028-37, 2005

With L. D. Mota, M. G. S. D. Vecchia, R. Gioria, J. A. M. Rezende, L. E. A. Camargo & L. Amorim. Pfaffia mosaic virus: a novel potyvirus found infecting Pfaffia glomerata in Brazil. Plant Pathology 53:368-73, 2004

With M. L. Skotnicki, P. Selkirk, T. P. McBride, J. Shaw & A. Mackenzie; The first subantarctic plant virus report: Stilbocarpa mosaic bacilliform badnavirus (SMBV) from Macquarie Island. Polar Biology 26:1-17, 2003

With T. Nagata, D. M.T. Alves, J. E. Cardoso, A. K. Inoue-Nagata, M. R. V. Oliveira & A. C. Avila. Isolation of a novel carlavirus from melon in Brazil. Plant Pathology , 52(6):977, 2003

With A. M. R. Almeida, S. R. Marin, N. Valentin; E. Bittneck, A.L. Nepomuceno, L.C. Benato, H. V. D. Vliet & F. F. Piuga. Necrose da haste: uma nova virose da soja. Embrapa-Soja Circular Técnica 36:1-11, 2002

With J. Moran, B.V. Rijswijk, V. Traicevski, A. Mackenzie & A. Gibbs. Potyviruses, novel and known, in cultivated and wild species of the family Apiaceae in Australia. Archives of Virology 147(10):1855-67, 2002

With P. E. Meissner Filho & R. O. Resende. Patchouli virus X: a new potexvirus from Pogostemum clabin. Annals of Applied Biology 141:267-74, 2002.

With B. M. Ribeiro, P. M. A. Zanotto, S. McDowell & M.L. Souza. Characterization of a baculovirus infecting the passion fruit caterpilar Dione juno juno. Biocell 21(1):71-82, 1997

With L. S. Boiteux & M. I. Lima. Giant Calyx: A Disease Of Eggplant (Solanum Melongena) Associated With Mycoplasmalike Organisms In Brazil. Plant Pathology 43:751-4, 1994.

With C. R. F. Martins. A Unique Virus From Elephant Grass. Plant Disease 77(7):726-9, 1993

With C. R. F. Martins & A. A. Santos. Identification of a rhabdovirus in soursop (Annona muricata). Plant Disease 77(3):276-8, 1993.

With M. E. N. Fonseca, L. S. Boiteux & R. P. Singh. A viroid from Coleus species in Brazil. Plant Disease 74(1):80, 1990

With F. H. Valicente, M. J. V. D. Peixoto & E. Paiva. Identificação e purificação de um vírus de granulose em lagarta-do-cartucho do milho. Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira 23(3): 291-6, 1988

With J. Mulder, S. G. Ribeiro & M. T. Lin. Characterization of the white clover mosaic virus, isolated from clover (Trifolium sp.) in the state of Paraná, Brazil. Fitopatologia Brasileira 12(3):263-9, 1987

With J. O. Munoz & S. F. Nome. Organismo do tipo micoplasma associado al amarillamento del paraíso (Melia azedarach). Fitopatologia Brasileira 12:95-7, 1987

With O. A. Crestani, M. T. Lin & V. L. A. Marinho. Passion fruit yellow mosaic virus, a new tymovirus fround in Brazil. Phytopathology 78(9):955, 1986

With J.A. Betti & A.S. Costa. Strawberry veinbanding vírus, a member of the cauliflower mosaic group. J. Gen. Virol. 20:117-8, 1973

With V. R. Caetano & A.S. Costa. Espiga branca do trigo, uma possível moléstia de vírus. Bragantia 29: 41-6, 1970

OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS

With K. S. Kubo, J. Freitas-Astúa & M. A. Machado. Orchid fleck symptoms may be caused naturally by two different viruses transmitted by Brevipalpus. Journal of General Plant Pathology 75:250-5, 2009

With S. Yamashita & Y. Doi. Comparative electron microscopic observation of viroplasms induced by plant viruses. Japanese Journal of Phytopathology 74:97-109, 2008.

A peculiar type of glycocalyx on the microvilli of the midgut epithelial cells of the thrips Frankliniella sp. (Thysanoptera, Thripidae). Cytobiologie 11(2):299-303, 1975

With D. Peters. Purification and electron microscopy of sowthistle yellow vein virus. Virology 41(1):135-50, 1970

DESCRIBED NEW TAXA

With R. E. Davis; Y. Zhao; E.L. Dally, R. Jomantiene; I.-M. Lee & W. Wei. ?Candidatus Phytoplasma sudamericanum?, a novel taxon, and strain PassWB-Br4, a new subgroup 16SrIII-V phytoplasma, from diseased passion fruit (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa Deg.). International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology 62:984-9, 2012

With M. Bakarcic & M.V. Fernandez-Valiela. Association of rickettsialike bacteria with plum leaf scald disease. Phytopathology 65(4):476-9, 1975

Described Crithidia hutneri & C. luciliae thermophila 1977 with Roitman, Mundim & Azevedo

DEVELOPED METHODS

With G.R. Teresani, E. Bertolini, A. Alfaro Fernandez, C. Martínez, F.A.O. Tanaka et al. Association of “Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum” with a vegetative disorder of celery in Spain and development of a real-time PCR method to its detection. Phytopathology 104(8):804-11, 2014

With J. Freitas-Astua, E.C. Locali, R. Antonioli-Luizoni, G. Astua-Monge, M. L. P. Targon, V. Rodrigues & M. A. Machado. RT-PCR for the simultaneous detection of citrus tristeza and leprosis virus. Fitopatologia Brasileira 30(6):669, 2005

With E. Locali, J. Freitas-Astua, A.A. Souza, M.A. Takita, G. Astua-Monge, R. Antonioli & M.A. Machado. Development of a molecular tool for the diagnosis of leprosis, a major threat to the citrus production in the Americas. Plant Disease 87:1217-1321, 2003

With C. C. Childers, J. C. V. Rodrigues, K. S. Derrick; C. Rivera & W. Welbourn. A control strategy for breaking the virus-vector cycle of Brevipalpus spp. and the Rhabdovirus disease, citrus leprosis. Manejo Integrado de Plagas, Turrialba, 60:76-9, 2001

With F. J. Aragão & V. L. A. Marinho. Cactus Virus X in cactaceae in Brazil and a novel method to purify it directly from cactus tissues. Fitopatologia Brasileira 18(1):112-7, 1993

With V. L. A. Marinho. Método simplificado de purificação de alguns potyvirus. Fitopatologia Brasileira 14(1):91-3, 1989

Rapid detection of plant cell organelles. Journal of Electron Microscopy 14(2):122, 1965

A rapid method to detect particles of some spherical plant viruses in fresh preparations. Journal of Electron Microscopy 14(2):119-21, 1965

Emprego de um pulverizador de pressão para obtenção de exsudato de plantas. Bragantia 20:23-4, 1961

HONORS

Scandem Poster Prize, Scandinavian Society for Electron Microscopy (1999)

Family Kitaviridae Melzer, Freitas Astua, Rodrigues, Roy & Wei 2018 (Virus)