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Transmission of Oat Blue Dwarf Virus by the Aster Leafhopper Following Natural Acquisition or Inoculation. E. E. Banttari, Associate Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul 55101; R. J. Zeyen, NDEA Fellow, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul 55101. Phytopathology 60:399-402. Accepted for publication 22 September 1969. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-60-399.

A few nymphs and a few adult aster leafhoppers transmitted the oat blue dwarf virus (OBDV) to oats after a 15-min acquisition feeding period on diseased oats. Highest numbers of nymphs became viruliferous after an acquisition-feeding period on diseased oats of 1 week, and adults became so after 2 days. The shortest incubation time of the virus in leafhoppers that fed on diseased oats was 7 days, and the majority of insects transmitted virus between the 17th and 34th days. With few exceptions, they ceased transmitting OBDV after the 66th day. The shortest incubation time for insects inoculated with extracts from infected plants or viruliferous leafhoppers was 1 day, and the majority of insects transmitted the virus between the 6th and 20th days. With few exceptions, the inoculated leafhoppers ceased transmitting OBDV after the 40th day. Patterns of serial transmission by both inoculated leafhoppers and by leafhoppers that acquired the virus by feeding were erratic. A higher percentage of leafhoppers transmitted OBDV when inoculated with extracts from ground viruliferous insects than when inoculated with extracts from diseased plants. Inoculation of leafhoppers by placing virus extracts on the severed tarsus or tibia was unsatisfactory for transmission.