Yield Response of Sweet Corn to Maize Dwarf Mosaic Virus. M. A. Mikel, Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Illinois, Urbana 61801. Cleora J. D'Arcy, Assistant Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, A. M. Rhodes, Professor, Department of Horticulture, and R. E. Ford, Professor and Head, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Illinois, Urbana 61801. Plant Dis. 65:900-901. Accepted for publication 22 March 1981. Copyright 1981 American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-65-900.

The effect of maize dwarf mosaic virus strain B on yield of 20 sweet corn cultivars was examined. In 14 cultivars, plants infected with the virus required significantly longer to reach the midsilk stage than plants not infected. Infection caused reductions in kernel fill at the basal portion of the ear in 11 cultivars, ear length in 3 cultivars, ear diameter in 10 cultivars, first ear weight in 9 cultivars, ear marketability in 8 cultivars, and plant height in 7 cultivars. When overall means of all 20 cultivars were compared by treatment, plants infected with maize dwarf mosaic virus strain B took significantly longer to reach midsilk and had significantly reduced butt fill, ear length, ear diameter, first ear weight, ear marketability, and plant height. Variability of different sweet corn cultivars in these characteristics allowed us to classify Cherokee, Golden Gleam, Silver Queen, Sundance, and Wintergreen as tolerant to infection by the virus.