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Improved RNA virus understanding is critical to studying animal and plant health, and environmental processes. However, the continuous and rapid RNA virus evolution makes their identification and characterization challenging. While recent sequence-based advances have led to extensive RNA virus discovery, there is growing variation in how RNA viruses are identified, analyzed, characterized, and reported. To this end, an RdRp Summit was organized and a hybrid meeting took place in Valencia, Spain in May 2023 to convene leading experts with emphasis on early career researchers (ECRs) across diverse scientific communities. Here we synthesize key insights and recommendations and offer these as a first effort to establish a consensus framework for advancing RNA virus discovery. First, we need interoperability through standardized methodologies, data-sharing protocols, metadata provision and interdisciplinary collaborations and offer specific examples as starting points. Second, as an emergent field, we recognize the need to incorporate cutting-edge technologies and knowledge early and often to improve omic-based viral detection and annotation as novel capabilities reveal new biology. Third, we underscore the significance of ECRs in fostering international partnerships to promote inclusivity and equity in virus discovery efforts. The proposed consensus framework serves as a roadmap for the scientific community to collectively contribute to the tremendous challenge of unveiling the RNA virosphere. 

Phytophthora is a long-established, well known and globally important genus of plant pathogens. Phylogenetic evidence has shown that the biologically distinct, obligate biotrophic downy mildews evolved from Phytophthora at least twice. Since, cladistically, this renders Phytophthora ‘paraphyletic’, it has been proposed that Phytophthora evolutionary clades be split into multiple genera (Runge et al. 2011; Crous et al. 2021; Thines et al. 2023; Thines 2024). In this letter, we review arguments for the retention of the generic name Phytophthora with a broad circumscription made by Brasier et al. (2022) and by many delegates at an open workshop organized by the American Phytopathological Society. We present our well-considered responses to this proposal in general terms and to the specific proposals for new genera; together with new information regarding the biological properties and mode of origin of the Phytophthora clades. We consider that the proposals for new genera are mostly non-rigorous and not supported by the scientific evidence. Further, given (1) the apparent lack of any distinguishing biological characteristics (synapomorphies) between the Phytophthora clades; (2) the fundamental monophyly of Phytophthora in the original Haeckelian sense; (3) the fact that paraphyly is not a justification for taxonomic splitting; and (4) the considerable likely damage to effective scientific communication and disease management from an unnecessary break-up of the genus, we report that Workshop delegates voted unanimously in favour of preserving the current generic concept and for seeking endorsement of this view by a working group of the International Commission on the Taxonomy of Fungi.