Reference genes for reliable potyvirus quantitation in cassava and analysis of Cassava brown streak virus load in host varieties

► Reference genes in the potyvirus-Arabidopsis pathosystem are selected with RefGenes tool. ► Eleven ortholog reference genes are selected in the Manihot esculenta (cassava) genome. ► PP2A, UBQ10 and GTPb display stable expression in the cassava - CBSV pathosystem. ► Cassava reference genes are used to quantify CBSV load by qPCR in cassava cultivars.