Maize Streak Virus: I. Host Range and Vulnerability of Maize Germ Plasm. Vernon D. Damsteegt, Research Plant Pathologist, Plant Disease Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Frederick, MD 21701. Plant Dis. 67:734-737. Accepted for publication 21 December 1982. This article is in the public domain and not copyrightable. It may be freely reprinted with customary crediting of the source. The American Phytopathological Society, 1983. DOI: 10.1094/PD-67-734.

One hundred thirty-eight grass accessions, 529 maize hybrids, inbreds, exotic lines, and sweet corn cultivars, several Sorghum, Tripsacum, and Zea species, and major cereal crop cultivars were tested for susceptibility to maize streak virus disease in both seedling and six- to eight-leaf stages. Fifty-four grass species were symptomatic hosts (verified by back-assays to corn) including 14 annual and 31 perennial hosts not reported previously. All maize lines were susceptible in the seedling stage except Revolution and J-2705, which were highly resistant after the four-leaf stage. Two Tripsacum species and several Tripsacum plant introductions, nursery selections, and exotic Tripsacum collections were susceptible. Although most Zea mays accessions were susceptible, a few collections of Z. mays subsp. parviglumis var. huehuetenangensis from Guatemala were resistant. Cultivars of commonly grown cereal crops varied in susceptibility. Several grass species in the genera Aegilops, Andropogon, Avena, Bothriochloa, Digitaria, Echinochloa, Eleusine, Hyparrhenia, Panicum, Schizachrium, Sorghastrum, Sorghum, Trichachne, Trichloris, and Zea supported abundant oviposition and nymphal development of the vector Cicadulina mbila.

Keyword(s): containment, epidemiology, vectors.