AGO1 and infection: Notably, at early infection, downregulation of cassava mes-miR162 and mes-miR168 that target antiviral posttranscriptional gene silencing (PTGS) regulators DCL1 and AGO1, respectively, was observed in TME3 at 12 dpi, and AGO1 and DCL1 expression was higher compared to T200 post infection [76], providing further evidence that ABA and RNA silencing are important in SACMV tolerance in cassava.