ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Longan witches broom-associated virus

Hey kiddo! Have you ever heard of a fruit called longan? It's like a smaller version of a lychee. Sometimes, longan trees can get sick just like people can get sick. And one of the diseases that can make a longan tree sick is called the longan witches broom-associated virus.

The virus is like a tiny bad guy that can make the tree really weak and unhealthy. It spreads from one tree to another if they touch each other or if a bug bites an infected tree and then bites another healthy tree.

When a tree gets infected, it grows a lot of small branches that look like little brooms sticking out in different directions - that's why it's called witches' broom. The brooms make it harder for the tree to grow healthy fruit, which is not a good thing for the tree or the people who eat the longan fruit.

Scientists are studying how to help the trees fight off the virus and stay healthy. They're also trying to come up with ways to stop the virus from spreading to other trees. It's like they're the doctors for the trees and they're trying to make them feel better.

So, in summary, longan witches broom-associated virus is a bad disease that makes longan trees sick and weak by growing lots of little broom-like branches on the tree. Scientists are trying to help the trees fight off the virus and stop it from spreading.