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Vector Relations

Multiplication of Maize Stripe Virus in Peregrinus maidis. L. R. Nault, Professor, Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University (OSU), Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC), Wooster 44691; D. T. Gordon, Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, The Ohio State University (OSU), Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC), Wooster 44691. Phytopathology 78:991-995. Accepted for publication 26 February 1988. Copyright 1988 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-78-991.

The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to demonstrate that the maize stripe virus (MStpV) multiplies in its delphacid planthopper vector, Peregrinus maidis. ELISAs were performed using an antiserum to purified MStpV. MStpV was detected by ELISA from a single planthopper immediately after a 2-day acquisition access period (AAP) and from increasing numbers of insects at 9, 16, and 23 days after the start of AAP. The values of the mean absorbance at 405 nm (A_405nm) for virus-exposed planthoppers increased significantly from 9 to 16 and 16 to 23 days after the start of AAP. Some but not all insects found to be positive for MStpV by ELISA transmitted the virus at 16 and 23 days after the start of AAP. MStpV was detected by ELISA from the following organs: midgut, hindgut, Malpighian tubules, brain, salivary glands, and hind femur muscle of both viruliferous males and females; ovaries, oviduct and spermatheca, bursa copulatrix, and single eggs of viruliferous females; and accessory gland and seminal vesicle of viruliferous males. In this last group, none of the 10 testes were found to be positive for MStpV by ELISA. In a time course experiment, MStpV was detected by ELISA from the midgut and ovaries but not the salivary glands at 0 and 2 days after a 7-day AAP. MStpV was detected from all three organs at 16 and 23 days after the start of AAP, and the mean A_405nm values significantly increased from 9 to 16 and 16 to 23 days after the start of AAP. MStpV was detected by ELISA from the salivary glands of all planthoppers that were inoculative in biossays and from some salivary glands of virus-exposed planthoppers that were not inoculative. The pattern of MStpV transmission for eight P. maidis was intermittent and infrequent except for one vector that transmitted virus to 18 of 22 test plants over a 7-wk period.