VIEW ARTICLE

Barley Stripe Mosaic Virus Infection of Corn and the “Aberrant Ratio” Genetic Effect. D. R. Pring, Plant Pathology Department, Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Nebraska, Lincoln 68503; Phytopathology 64:64-70. Accepted for publication 26 June 1973. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-64-64.

Barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV) infection and systemic invasion were studied in a corn line previously found to exhibit altered progeny ratios if infected with BSMV and used as a male parent in crosses. This phenomena had been designated “Aberrant Ratio” (AR). Substantial quantities of single-stranded viral RNA (21 S) were detected in photometric scanning patterns from density-gradient centrifugation of cellular nucleic acids extracted from infected corn leaves 3-7 days after inoculation, but intact viral nucleoprotein production during this period was very low. In contrast, systemically invaded tissue of leaf two of the BSMV-resistant ‘Moreval’ barley produced a lower viral RNA yield and a higher nucleoprotein yield than did the corn variety. Single-stranded and replicative-form RNA were detected in corn tassel meristems of infected plants by in vivo ³²P-labeling. Both viral RNA species were apparent from 13 days after inoculation until tassel emergence. No evidence of pollen or seed transmission of BSMV was detected in progeny of selfed, infected plants. Attempts to detect viral RNA in plants with the AR genetic effect were negative. The ND 18 strain of BSMV induced the AR effect, but no evidence of intact viral RNA species was found in the progeny.