Plant Virology
The 30 minute semester
with 3 examples from MT
PVY
WSMV
BYDV
Diagnosis
Symptoms
Mechanical or insect
transmission
Immunological (ELISA)
Nucleic acid (PCR)
How do viruses move from plant to
plant?
Insect vectors, nematodes
Mechanically (sap on
clothing/tools/equipment)
Seed, tubers
Pollen
Virus diseases in MT
Occur sporadically
Difficult to predict
Host
Vector
Pathogen
PotatovirusY
Wheatstreakmosaicvirus
Barleyyellowdwarfvirus
Environment
Insect transmission of plant
viruses: The Jargon
Vector = insect (or other means) of
transmitting the virus from plant to plant
Nonpersistant (stylet-borne)
Semipersistant
Persistant
Circulative, propogative
Circulative, nonpropogative
Insect transmission of plant
viruses: The Jargon, contd
Type
Acquisition
Time to start
transmitting
Nonpersistant
Seconds
Seconds
Min to Hours
Semipersistant
(foregut-borne)
Min. to
Hours
Min to Hours
Hours
(until molt)
Circulative
Propagative
Min. to
Hours
Hours to Days
Life
Circulative
Nonpropagative
Min. to
Hours
Hours to Days
Days to Life
Retention
Control of nonpersistant vs.
persistant
Insecticides are effective against persistant,
but not nonpersistant viruses
Plant resistance can be effective, but viruses
evolve rapidly
Prevent introducing the virus inoculum (seed,
tubers)
Prevent movement from volunteer plants by
getting rid of volunteers before planting
(green bridge)
Potato virus Y (PVY): The Host
Solanum tuberosum (potato)
Capsicum spp. (peppers)
Nicotiana spp. (tobacco)
Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato)
Primary source of inoculum = Seed potatoes
Potato virus Y (PVY): The Pathogen
Potyvirus (40% all known plant viruses)
Nonpersistant (stylet-borne)
Aphid transmitted
125
ITEV
Nonpersistant viruses stick to the stylet
Mediated by a protein, HC-Pro
Specific relationship
PVY: The Environment (control)
PVY does not spread rapidly in the
absence of the aphid vector
Can be transmitted mechanically
Insecticides are not effective
Best option is preventing inoculum
introduction
Some variety resistance
PVY: Disease triangle
Host :Resistance
Vector:Avoidance
Pathogen
:Exclusioncertifiedseed
Environment
:Scouting
:Roguing
Wheat streak mosaic virus: The Host
Infects both winter and spring wheat
Symptoms in spring
Earlier infection = greater yield loss
Grassy weeds, volunteer wheat, corn,
etc. can harbor both WSMV and the
mite vector
WSMV: The Pathogen
Family Potyviridae, genus Rymovirus
Mite-transmitted virus
Wheat curl mite survives on green tissue
WSMV: The Environment
Warm, dry conditions favor mite
reproduction
Wheat streak mosaic virus control
Early seeding of winter wheat favors mite and
WSMV spread
Eliminate the green bridge
3 week gap between herbicide
and planting
Avoid spraying herbicide on volunteer wheat
near spring wheat fields during cool, moist,
windy weather
Do not plant wheat next to late-maturing
(green) corn, which is also a mite host
Disease cycle of WSMV
Role of the predominant grassy
weeds as reservoirs of WSMV
WeedHost:VolunteerWheat
WSMV: Disease triangle
Host :Resistance
X
Pathogen
:Seedtransmission
(dontuseseedfrom
heavilyinfectedplants)
Vector:Avoidance
Environment
:beawareofthe
weather
Barley yellow dwarf virus: The Host
Infects barley, wheat, oats, rye, corn, triticale,
rice
Resistance has been developed, but
predicting the virus and aphid populations
from year to year can be difficult
BYDV: The Pathogen
Family Luteoviridae
Persistant, circulative, nonpropagative
First classified by primary aphid vector
MAV: Macrosiphum (Sitobion) avenae
PAV: Rhopalosiphum padi
RMV: Rhopalosiphum maidis
SGV: Schizaphis graminum
RPV: Rhopalosiphum padi
Insect transmission of plant viruses
Type
Acquisition
Time to start
transmitting
Nonpersistant
Seconds
Seconds
Min to Hours
Semipersistant
(foregut-borne)
Min. to
Hours
Min to Hours
Hours
(until molt)
Circulative
Propagative
Min. to
Hours
Hours to Days
Life
Circulative
Nonpropagative
Min. to
Hours
Hours to Days
Days to Life
Retention
Circulative nonpropagative
(Another very specific relationship)
Hemocoel
PSG
ASG
Midgut
Hindgut
Salivary
Canal
Phloem
Food
Canal
BYDV: The environment
Inoculum
Wild grasses, perennial grassy weeds
Aphid flights from other wheat-growing
areas
Insecticides can be very effective at
controlling the aphid and virus
transmission, if applied early
BYDV: Disease triangle
Host :Resistance
Vector :Insecticide
Pathogen
:Controlgrassyweeds
Environment
:Scouting
Wheat streak mosaic virus: The Host
Infects both winter and spring wheat
Symptoms in spring
Earlier infection = greater yield loss
Grassy weeds, volunteer wheat, corn,
etc. can harbor both WSMV and the
mite vector
WSMV: The Pathogen
Family Potyviridae, genus Rymovirus
Mite-transmitted virus
Wheat curl mite survives on green tissue
