Antixenosis to Cicadulina mbila (Naudé) (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) as a mechanism of resistance to maize streak disease

Abstract

Streak resistant maize inbred lines derived from various resistance breeding programmes were compared for leafhopper feeding preferences, both in the presence and absence of a susceptible line. Pronounced antixenosis to C. mbila was observed in inbred lines E739 and CML206, with moderate levels of antixenosis in P606, P590, P612 and CML202. Antixenosis was negligible in J2705tv and VH188w. The time spent feeding on the latter resistant lines in the absence of the susceptible standard well exceeded the minimum time needed to transmit the virus, indicating that the high levels of field resistance in these lines may be the result of the presence of more than one mechanism of resistance. Since disease severity depends to some extent on the acquired virus dosage, the observed antixenosis could be exploited in breeding programmes to reduce the level of primary infection in plants with an antiviral component of resistance.