Authors
R.
Creamer
and
X.
He
,
Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside 92521
; and
W. E.
Styer
,
Department of Entomology, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Ohio State University, Wooster 44691
ABSTRACT
The transmission parameters of sorghum stunt mosaic rhabdovirus (SSMV) by the leafhopper Graminella sonora were determined. The minimum acquisition and inoculation times were 6 and 1 h, respectively, while 100% transmission was obtained from a 48-h acquisition access or a 24-h inoculation access period. Transmission efficiency was highest at temperatures of 24 to 36°C. The minimum latent period prior to transmission was 9 days at 30°C, with an 11-day incubation period necessary for 100% transmission. After a 14-day incubation period at 16°C, no transmission was obtained; however, doubling the incubation period to 28 days gave high levels of transmission. Double antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA) of individual leafhoppers held at 16°C for a 14-day incubation period detected no virus in leafhoppers, whereas over 50% of the leafhoppers had detectable virus after a 28-day incubation period. Graminella nigrifrons and Peregrinus maidis were not able to transmit SSMV.