Comparative Study of Two Maize Dwarf Mosaic Virus Strains Infecting Corn and Johnsongrass in Israel. Yeheskel Antignus, Department of Virology, ARO, The Volcani Center, P.O.B. 6, Bet Dagan, Israel. Plant Dis. 71:687-691. Accepted for publication 5 December 1986. Copyright 1987 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-71-0687.

Two strains of maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV) were identified in Israel on corn and johnsongrass. One strain, designated M-C, induces mosaic in some common sorghum cultivars; the other, designated M-D, is responsible for the appearance of red lesions and systemic necrosis on the same cultivars. M-D-infected corn plants were severely dwarfed compared with M-C-infected plants when inoculated at the three-leaf stage. Both strains caused a reduction of about 30% in ear yield. Serological tests, including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunoelectron microscopy, and sodium dodecyl sulfate immunodiffusion tests, indicated weak serological cross-reactions between M-C and M-D. Strain M-C reacted strongly with antisera against M-A and sorghum red stripe virus (SRV) and very weakly with antiserum against strain H of sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV-H), whereas strain M-D reacted weakly with M-A and not at all with SRV or SCMV-H antisera.