Abstract
Melon Mosaic Virus (MMV) was non-persistent in its three aphid vectors. The pre-acquisition fasting threshold, acquisition threshold and the inoculation feeding threshold were 5 minutes, 10 seconds and 60 seconds respectively forMyzus persicae, 15 minutes, 30 seconds and 3 minutes respectively forAphis gossypii, 60 minutes, 60 seconds and 5 minutes respectively forA. nerii. The optimum number of viruliferous aphids per plant for maximum transmission was 30 in all the vectors. Increasing the number of aphids above this optimum decreased the percentage transmission of the virus. In the case ofMyzus persicae, the reduction in the percentage transmission was conspicuous when 240 aphids per plant were used whereas inA. nerii the decrease was noticed even when 100 aphids per plant were used. The percentage transmission by fasted aphids was more than by the non-fasted ones. Persistance of the virus during fasting was for 90, 45 and 30 minutes respectively inM. persicae, A. gossypii andA. nerii while during feeding it was 30, 15 and 10 minutes respectively. The aphid vectors were ranked in the following descending order of transmission efficiency:Myzus persicae, Aphis gossypii andA. nerii. The length of the pre-acquisition fasting period varied inversely as the efficiency. More efficient the vector, shorter was the fasting period. The acquisition threshold and incoulation feeding threshold also varied inversely as the efficiency of the vector. The fall in the efficiency of transmission when the number of aphid vector was increased above the optimum was considered to be due to a salivary inhibitor. Apterous forms of the aphid vectors were more efficient transmitters of the viruses than the alate forms.
It was concluded that all aphids have a salivary inactivator, the quantity secreted varied from species to species, the efficiency of transmission being inversely correlated with the quantity of inhibitor secreted.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Bhargava, K. S... “Some properties of four strains of cucumber mosaic virus,”Ann. Appl. Biol., 1951,38, 377–88.
Bradley, R. H. E... “Studies on the mechanism of transmission of potato virus Y by the green peach aphic,Myzus persicae Sulz. (Homoptera: aphididae),”Canadian J. Zool., 1954,32, 64–73.
—————.. “Loss of virus from the stylets of aphids,”Virology, 1959,8, 308–18.
Day, M. F. and Irzykiewicz, H. “On the mechanism of transmission of non-persistent phytopathogenic virsues of aphids,”Aust. J. Biol. Sci. 1954,7, 251–73.
Doolittle, S. P. and Walker, M. N. “Aphid transmission of cucumber mosaic,” Abstr.Phytopathology, 1928,18, 143.
Kassanis, B... “Studies on dandelion yellows mosaic and other virus diseases of lettuce,”Ann. Appl. Biol., 1947,34, 412–21.
Nariani, T. K. and Sastry, K. S. M. “Studies on the relationship of chilli mosaic virus and its vectorAphis gossypii Glov.,”Indian Phytopath., 1962,15, 173–83.
Osborn, H. T... “Studies on the transmission of pea virus 2 by aphids,”Phytopathology, 1937,27, 589–603.
Smith, K. M... “Virus diseases of plants and their relationship with insect vectors,”Biol. Rev., 1931,6, 302–44.
Sylvester, E. S... “Aphid transmission of non-persistent plant viruses with special reference toBrassica nigra virus,”Hilgardia, 1954,23, 53–98.
----- .. “Transmission of plant viruses by aphids. Problems in the classification of plant virus transmission by aphids,”Recent Adv. Bot., 1961, pp. 517–22.
Watson, M. A... “Factors affecting the amount of infection obtained by aphid transmission of the virus Hy. III,”Roy. Soc. London, Phil. Trans., 1936,226 B, 457–89.
—————.. “Further studies on the relationship between Hyoscyamus virus 3 and the aphidMyzus persicae Sulz., with special reference to the effects of fasting,”Proc. Roy. Soc. London, 1938,125 B, 144–70.
—— and Roberts, F. M... “A comparative study of the transmission of Hyoscyamus virus 3, potato virus Y and cucumber virus 1 by the vectorMyzus persicae (Sulz.),M. circumflexus (Buckton.) andMacrosiphum gei (Koeh.),” Ibid., 1939,127 B, 543–76.
—————.. “Evidence against the hypothesis that certain plant viruses are transmitted mechanically by aphids,”Ann. Appl. Biol., 1940,27, 227–33.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nagarajan, K., Ramakrishnan, K. Studies on cucurbit viruses in Madras state. Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. 74, 194–207 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03050631
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03050631