Differences in aphid transmissibility and translocation between PVYN and PVYO isolates

Abstract

The aphid transmissibility and within-plant movement of two PVY isolates belonging to PVYO and PVYN strains were studied. Potato plants were infected by Myzus persicae either 1 week after emergence or 30 or 45 days after emergence. Infected leaves, petioles of infected leaves, and different segments of the stems of plants infected 1 week after emergence were ELISA-tested 7, 11 and 14 days after infection. Segments of the plants infected 30 or 45 days after emergence were ELISA tested 30 days after infection. Normalised ELISA values were used for statistical analyses. Virus infection of progeny tubers was assessed by post-harvest inspection. The ability of 15 aphid species to transmit the virus isolates was also examined. There was no difference in the aphid transmissibility of the two isolates 7 or 11 days after exposure to M. persicae. However, normalised ELISA values were significantly affected by both isolate and sampling date 11 and 14 days after M. persicae transmission. The level of infection of different stem segments was significantly affected by both isolate and growth stage of the plant at infection. The proportions of infected leaves, stem segments and progeny tubers were all significantly higher for PVYN than for PVYO. PVYN was more effectively transmitted by a number of different aphid species than was PVYO. Newly described vectors of PVYN include Schizaphis graminum, Aphis fabae cirsiacanthoides, Aphis spiraecola, Myzus ligustri, Aphis fabae, Aphis spiraephaga, Myzus cerasi, Macrosiphum rosae, Diuraphis noxia, Aphis pomi and Rhopalosiphum padi, while those of PVYO include Aphis fabae cirsiacanthoides, Myzus cerasi and Myzus ligustri.