Maize Mosaic Virus Research Articles

RNAi-mediated knockdown of exportin 1 negatively affected ovary development, survival and maize mosaic virus accumulation in its insect vector Peregrinus maidis.

Exportin 1 (XPO1) is the major karyopherin-β nuclear receptor mediating the nuclear export of hundreds of proteins and some classes of RNA and regulates several critical processes in the cell, including cell-cycle progression, transcription and translation. Viruses have co-opted XPO1 to promote nucleocytoplasmic transport of viral proteins and RNA. Maize mosaic virus (MMV) is a plant-infecting rhabdovirus transmitted in a circulative propagative manner by the corn planthopper, Peregrinus maidis. MMV replicates in the nucleus of plant and insect hosts, and it remains unknown whether MMV co-opts P. maidis XPO1 (PmXPO1) to complete its life cycle. Because XPO1 plays multiple regulatory roles in cell functions and virus infection, we hypothesized that RNAi-mediated silencing of XPO1 would negatively affect MMV accumulation and insect physiology. Although PmXPO1 expression was not modulated during MMV infection, PmXPO1 knockdown negatively affected MMV accumulation in P. maidis at 12 and 15 days after microinjection. Likewise, PmXPO1 knockdown negatively affected P. maidis survival and reproduction. PmXPO1 exhibited tissue-specific expression patterns with higher expression in the ovaries compared with the guts of adult females. Survival rate was significantly lower for PmXPO1 knockdown females, compared with controls, but no effect was observed for males. PmXPO1 knockdown experiments revealed a role for PmXPO1 in ovary function and egg production. Oviposition and egg hatch on plants were dramatically reduced in females treated with dsRNA PmXPO1. These results suggest that PmXPO1 is a positive regulator of P. maidis reproduction and that it plays a proviral role in the insect vector supporting MMV infection.

NFC-enabled potentiostat and nitrocellulose-based metal electrodes for electrochemical lateral flow assay

Rapid detection of pathogens at the point-of-need is crucial for preventing the spread of human, animal and plant diseases which can have devastating consequences both on the lives and livelihood of billions of people. Colorimetric, lateral flow assays consisting of a nitrocellulose membrane, are the preferred format today for low-cost on-site detection of pathogens. This assay format has, however, historically suffered from poor analytical performance and is not compatible with digital technologies. In this work, we report the development of a new class of digital diagnostics platform for precision point-of-need testing. This new versatile platform consists of two important innovations: i) A wireless and batteryless, microcontroller-based, low-cost Near Field Communication (NFC)-enabled potentiostat that brings high performance electroanalytical techniques (cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, square wave voltammetry) to the field. The NFC-potentiostat can be operated with a mobile app by minimally trained users; ii) A new approach for producing nitrocellulose membranes with integrated electrodes that facilitate high performance electrochemical detection at the point-of-need. We produced an integrated system housed in a 3D-printed phone case and demonstrated its use for the detection of Maize Mosaic Virus (MMV), a plant pathogen, as a proof-of-concept application.

A Review on Disease Management in Millets

Millets, both major and minor, are important source of human diet. They are rich in proteins, carbohydrates, fat, fiber, micro nutrients including vitamins and minerals. Production of millets increase every year as they have high capacity to withstand biotic and abiotic stresses. However, in recent times, they are subjected to all type of bacterial, viral infections and fungal diseases. Blast, downy mildew, ergot, grain mold, smut, rust, bacterial leaf strike, bacterial leaf spot, Maize stripe virus (MStV-S), Maize streak virus, Maize mosaic virus (MMV-S) are common among all millets. Integrated crop management and pest control through agronomic cultural practices, use of resistant tolerant cultivars, chemical and biological control measures reduce the spread of diseases leading to high crop yield.

The physical interactome between Peregrinus maidis proteins and the maize mosaic virus glycoprotein provides insights into the cellular biology of a rhabdovirus in the insect vector.

Rhabdovirus glycoproteins (G) serve multifunctional roles in virus entry, assembly, and exit from animal cells. We hypothesize that maize mosaic virus (MMV) G is required for invasion, infection, and spread in Peregrinus maidis, the planthopper vector. Using a membrane-based yeast two-hybrid assay, we identified 107 P. maidis proteins that physically interacted with MMV G, of which approximately 53% matched proteins with known functions including endocytosis, vesicle-mediated transport, protein synthesis and turnover, nuclear export, metabolism and host defense. Physical interaction networks among conserved proteins indicated a possible cellular coordination of processes associated with MMV G translation, protein folding and trafficking. Non-annotated proteins contained predicted functional sites, including a diverse array of ligand binding sites. Cyclophilin A and apolipophorin III co-immunoprecipitated with MMV G, and each showed different patterns of localization with G in insect cells. This study describes the first protein interactome for a rhabdovirus spike protein and insect vector.

Rescue of the first alphanucleorhabdovirus entirely from cloned complementary DNA: An efficient vector for systemic expression of foreign genes in maize and insect vectors.

Recent reverse genetics technologies have enabled genetic manipulation of plant negative-strand RNA virus (NSR) genomes. Here, we report construction of an infectious clone for the maize-infecting Alphanucleorhabdovirus maydis, the first efficient NSR vector for maize. The full-length infectious clone was established using agrobacterium-mediated delivery of full-length maize mosaic virus (MMV) antigenomic RNA and the viral core proteins (nucleoprotein N, phosphoprotein P, and RNA-directed RNA polymerase L) required for viral transcription and replication into Nicotiana benthamiana. Insertion of intron 2 ST-LS1 into the viral L gene increased stability of the infectious clone in Escherichia coli and Agrobacterium tumefaciens. To monitor virus infection in vivo, a green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene was inserted in between the N and P gene junctions to generate recombinant MMV-GFP. Complementary DNA (cDNA) clones of MMV-wild type (WT) and MMV-GFP replicated in single cells of agroinfiltrated N.benthamiana. Uniform systemic infection and high GFP expression were observed in maize inoculated with extracts of the infiltrated N.benthamiana leaves. Insect vectors supported virus infection when inoculated via feeding on infected maize or microinjection. Both MMV-WT and MMV-GFP were efficiently transmitted to maize by planthopper vectors. The GFP reporter gene was stable in the virus genome and expression remained high over three cycles of transmission in plants and insects. The MMV infectious clone will be a versatile tool for expression of proteins of interest in maize and cross-kingdom studies of virus replication in plant and insect hosts.

Design and Validation of Plasmid Vectors for Characterizing Protein–Protein Interactions in Spodoptera frugiperda Insect Cells

There are limited molecular biology resources for interrogating protein–protein interactions (PPIs) in insect cells. To address this deficiency, we developed plasmid vectors for localization, bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC), and co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) assays in Sf9 insect cells. Plasmids were designed to express a protein of interest as a fusion with epitope tags and autofluorescent proteins using the Gateway cloning system. Two robust interactors were utilized to validate this system: the nucleoprotein (N) and the phosphoprotein (P) of maize mosaic virus. The viral N was fused with the carboxy-terminal portion of eYFP and a FLAG epitope tag, and P was fused with the amino-terminal portion of eYFP and a myc epitope tag. The two expression plasmids were cotransfected into Sf9 cells, fluorescence microscopy was used to visualize BiFC, and co-IP was performed to confirm that this system was sensitive enough to detect PPI between the two proteins. BiFC was seen in cells cotransfected with N and P, and co-IP validated the interaction. This plasmid-based system can be used to investigate a variety of PPIs that occur in insects. We validated viral protein interactions that occur in the insect vector, which provides further insights into the biology of rhabdoviruses that are transmitted by insects. The ability to express viral and insect proteins in insect cells for studying PPIs with this streamlined system represents an advancement for protein research in insects. Future work will focus on identifying interacting viral and host proteins and discovery of targets for control of viruses and insect vectors. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .

In silico analysis of the predicted protein-protein interaction of syntaxin-18, a putative receptor of Peregrinus maidis Ashmead (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) with Maize mosaic virus glycoprotein

The corn planthopper, Peregrinus maidis Ashmead (Hemiptera:Delphacidae), is a widely distributed insect pest which serves as a vector of two phytopathogenic viruses, Maize mosaic virus (MMV) and Maize stripe virus (MStV). It transmits the viruses in a persistent and propagative manner. MMV is an alphanucleorhabdovirus with a negative-sense, single-stranded RNA unsegmented genome. One identified insect vector protein that may serve as receptor to MMV is Syntaxin-18 (PmStx18) which belongs to the SNAREs (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors) proteins. SNAREs play major roles in the final stage of docking and subsequent fusion of diverse vesicle-mediated transport events. In this work, in silico analysis of the interaction of MMV glycoprotein (MMV G) and PmStx18 was performed. Various freely available protein-protein docking web servers were used to predict the 3 D complex of MMV G and PmStx18. Analysis and protein-protein interaction (PPI) count showed that the complex predicted by the ZDOCK server has the highest number of interaction and highest affinity, as suggested by the calculated solvation free energy gain upon formation of the interface (ΔiG = −31 kcal/mol). Molecular dynamics simulation of the complex revealed important interactions at the interface over the course of 25 ns. This is the first in silico analysis performed for the interaction on a putative receptor of P. maidis and MMV G. The results of the PPI prediction provide novel information for studying the role of Stx18 in the transport, docking and fusion events involved in virus particle transport in the insect vector cells and its release. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Combining multiplex PCR and high-resolution melting for the detection and discrimination of arthropod transmitted viruses of cereals

The Great Plains of the United States is a region comprised of approximately 45 million hectares of grasslands where several economically important cereal crops are grown. Arthropod-transmitted, cereal-infecting viruses vary in incidence from year-to-year and are often difficult to detect in large acreages. To facilitate the detection of economically important viruses of cereals that often exist in co-infections, a multiplex reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) platform assay was developed. This method can be used in combination with high resolution melting (HRM) to detect and allow for discrimination between three arthropod-transmitted plant viruses; Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV), Maize mosaic virus (MMV) and Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV). Multiplex PCR in combination with HRM allowed for successful detection of WSMV, MMV, and BYDV, as well as discrimination between three BYDV species, BYDV-PAS, BYDV-PAV and BYDV-MAV. All primer pairs amplified products of the predicted size. The BYDV-RT-PCR primers amplified products of identical length for all three species of BYDV. HRM was then used to discriminate between these products by determining significant differences between the melting rates for each (p < 0.05). This study demonstrates the flexibility of combining multiplex PCR with HRM to increase the specificity of plant virus diagnostics based on the needs of the diagnostician performing the assay.

Complete Genome Sequence of Maize Mosaic Nucleorhabdovirus.

The complete genome sequence of maize mosaic virus (MMV) was obtained using next-generation sequencing from infected Peregrinus maidis and rapid amplification of cDNA ends from infected Zea mays The genome of MMV is 12,170 bases, and this project completed the 5' and 3' ends and amended the polymerase sequence.

Delivery of maize mosaic virus to planthopper vectors by microinjection increases infection efficiency and facilitates functional genomics experiments in the vector

The corn planthopper, Peregrinus maidis, not only causes direct damage to plants by feeding, but also transmits maize mosaic virus (MMV) to the plant hosts. The virus is transmitted in a propagative manner but the acquisition of MMV by the vector feeding on infected plants can result in low acquisition and inoculation efficiency. Here, we increased the acquisition efficiency by delivering the virus directly into the hemocoel through microinjection, which resulted in efficient virus infection of the insect and transmission to maize. We found that delivery of virus by injection of 10 ng MMV (50 nl, 200 μg/ml virions) into P. maidis resulted in 93% transmission efficiency. In dose-response experiments, MMV abundance in insects and transmission efficiency decreased as the amount of virus inoculum delivered into the hemocoel was reduced. Examination of virus distribution in the vector using immunolabeling and confocal microscopy revealed similar tissue distributions in the injected insects when compared to those of previous studies using feeding on plants for virus acquisition. The utility of virus inoculation by microinjection for functional analysis in virus-vector interaction was explored. Co-microinjection of MMV virions and the dsRNA of PI3Kδ (a transcript that is less abundant in MMV-infected insects), resulted in a reduction in PI3Kδ expression and higher virus titers in P. maidis. These findings demonstrated that virus microinjection is a robust method for obtaining large numbers of infected planthoppers that are competent in transmitting MMV and, in combination with RNAi, could significantly facilitate the functional analysis of P. maidis-MMV interactions.

Role of QTL mapping to circumscribe various diseases in different crops with special emphasis on cotton.

Cotton not only provides the world’s best natural spinnable fibre but also its seed is a rich source oil and protein, which is best for food and livestock feed. A biotic and biotic stresses always a serious threat to cotton production world widely. There is a demand of such cultivars which could oppose these stresses with wide genetic variability. Molecular breeding along with marker technology opened new ways in crop improvement. Genome mapping which is the identification of genomic regions linked with different traits; using construction of linkage map and quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis can be used to identify resistant sources with the use of marker assistant selection (MAS). Improvements in control of many biotic diseases like verticillium (V) and Fusarium Wilt (FW), Reniform and Root-knot Nematodes had been made using molecular breeding. Cotton leaf curl disease (CLCuD) is the most distressing diseases of cotton in Pakistan, north-western areas of India and some parts of Africa which could be improved using these biotechnological tools. In many agricultural crops viral diseases like tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), tomato mosaic virus (ToMV), tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), rice black-streaked virus (RBSV), Maize Streak Virus (MSV), Maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV), SCMV (Sugarcane mosaic virus), WSMV (Wheat streak mosaic virus), MCDV (Maize chlorotic dwarf virus), MMV (Maize mosaic virus), MFSV (Maize fine streak virus), Rice Stripe Virus (RSV), Rice yellow mottle virus (RYMV), rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV) and Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV) had been studied using molecular markers. This Review study provides explanation of molecular markers involved in crop improvement especially for disease resistance in cotton and other field crop which could carry out to find out CLCuD resistant sources in upland cotton.

Survey for the identification and geographical distribution of viruses and virus diseases of maize (Zea mays L.) in Ethiopia

A survey to identify the distribution of virus diseases of maize was made in major maize growing regions of Ethiopia. Four surveys were conducted between 2015 and 2017. A total of 284 maize fields have been surveyed, of which 846 leaf samples with virus like disease symptoms were collected from 191 fields. There were no symptoms indicating for virus presence in maize grown in 93 fields which were exempted from sampling, while in contrast up to 100% disease incidence was recorded in maize grown in the Benishangul-Gumuz, Oromia and South Nations, Nationalities and People (SNNP) regions. Symptoms varied in maize ranging from the most common mosaic and streak to severe leaf mottling and necrosis as well as stunting and pre-mature plant death. Double or triple antibody sandwich (DAS or TAS) enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA) to test for eight common maize viruses such as Maize chlorotic mottle virus (MCMV), Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV), Maize streak virus (MSV), Maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV), Maize mosaic virus (MMV), Maize stripe virus (MSpV), Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) and Johnsongrass mosaic virus (JGMV) confirmed the presence of MCMV, SCMV and MSV in the leaf samples. Single or mixed infections with MCMV and SCMV frequently occurred and triple infections of MCMV, SCMV and MSV were found in 1% of samples from SNNP region. Sequence analysis of the coat protein genes of randomly selected seropositive samples of the three viruses showed little variability within the studied isolates and those retrieved from the GenBank. Our results indicated maize lethal necrosis disease (MLND) caused by MCMV and SCMV co-infection was the most important disease in SNNP and Oromia while maize streak disease was the predominant virus infecting maize in Benishangul-Gumuz.

Cellular localization and interactions of nucleorhabdovirus proteins are conserved between insect and plant cells

Maize mosaic virus (MMV), similar to other nucleorhabdoviruses, replicates in divergent hosts: plants and insects. To compare MMV protein localization and interactions, we visualized autofluorescent protein fusions in both cell types. Nucleoprotein (N) and glycoprotein (G) localized to the nucleus and cytoplasm, phosphoprotein (P) was only found in the nucleus, and 3 (movement) and matrix (M) were present in the cytoplasm. This localization pattern is consistent with the model of nucleorhabdoviral replication of N, P, L and viral RNA forming a complex in the nucleus and the subvirion associating with M and then G during budding into perinuclear space. The comparable localization patterns in both organisms indicates a similar replication cycle. Changes in localization when proteins were co-expressed suggested viral proteins interact thus altering organelle targeting. We documented a limited number of direct protein interactions indicating host factors play a role in the virus protein interactions during the infection cycle.

Viral Diseases of Crops in Nepal

Viral diseases are the important diseases next to the fungal and bacterial in Nepal. The increase in incidence and severity of viral diseases and emergence of new viral diseases causes the significant yield losses of different crops in Nepal. But the research and studies on plant viral diseases are limited. Most of the studies were focused in viral diseases of rice (Rice tungro virus and Rice dwarf virus), tomato (Yellow leaf curl virus) and potato (PVX and PVY). Maize leaf fleck virus and mosaic caused by Maize mosaic virus were recorded as minor disease of maize. Citrus Tristeza Virus is an important virus of citrus fruit in Nepal while Papaya ringspot potyvirus, Ageratum yellow vein virus (AYVV), Tomato leaf curlJava betasatellite and Sida yellow vein Chinaalphasatellite were recorded from the papaya fruit. The Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) and Zucchini yellow mosaic potyvirus (ZYMV) are the viral diseases of cucurbitaceous crop reported in Nepal. Mungbean yellow mosaic India virus (MYMIV) found to infect the many crops Limabean, Kidney bean, blackgram and Mungbean. Bean common mosaic necrosis virus in sweet bean, Pea leaf distortion virus (PLDV), Cowpea aphid‐borne mosaic potyvirus (CABMV), Peanut bud necrosis virus (PBNV) in groundnut, Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). Chili veinal mottle potyvirus (CVMV) and Tomatoyellow leaf curl gemini virus (TYLCV) were only reported and no any further works have been carried out. The 3 virus diseases Soyabean mosaic (SMV), Soybean yellow mosaic virus and Bud blight tobacco ring spot virus (TRSV) were found in soybean.Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 6(2): 75-80

Completed sequence and corrected annotation of the genome of maize Iranian mosaic virus.

Maize Iranian mosaic virus (MIMV) is a negative-sense single-stranded RNA virus that is classified in the genus Nucleorhabdovirus, family Rhabdoviridae. The MIMV genome contains six open reading frames (ORFs) that encode in 3΄ to 5΄ order the nucleocapsid protein (N), phosphoprotein (P), putative movement protein (P3), matrix protein (M), glycoprotein (G) and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (L). In this study, we determined the first complete genome sequence of MIMV using Illumina RNA-Seq and 3'/5' RACE. MIMV genome ('Fars' isolate) is 12,426 nucleotides in length. Unexpectedly, the predicted N gene ORF of this isolate and of four other Iranian isolates is 143 nucleotides shorter than that of the MIMV coding-complete reference isolate 'Shiraz 1' (Genbank NC_011542), possibly due to a minor error in the previous sequence. Genetic variability among the N, P, P3 and G ORFs of Iranian MIMV isolates was limited, but highest in the G gene ORF. Phylogenetic analysis of complete nucleorhabdovirus genomes demonstrated a close evolutionary relationship between MIMV, maize mosaic virus and taro vein chlorosis virus.

Transcriptomic response of the insect vector, Peregrinus maidis, to Maize mosaic rhabdovirus and identification of conserved responses to propagative viruses in hopper vectors

Maize mosaic virus (MMV) is a plant-pathogenic rhabdovirus that is transmitted by the corn planthopper, Peregrinus maidis, in a propagative manner. P. maidis supports long-term MMV infections with no negative effects on insect performance. To elucidate whole-body transcriptome responses to virus infection, RNA-Seq was used to examine differential gene expression of virus-infected adult insects, and libraries were prepared from replicated groups of virus-exposed insects and non-exposed insects. From the 68,003 de novo-assembled transcripts, 144 were differentially-expressed (DE) during viral infection with comparable numbers up- and down-regulated. DE transcripts with similarity to genes associated with transposable elements (i.e., RNA-directed DNA polymerases) were enriched and may represent a mechanisim for modulating virus infection. Comparison of the P. maidis DE transcripts to published propagative virus-responsive transcript databases for two other hopper vectors revealed that 16% of the DE transcripts were shared across the three systems and may represent conserved responses to propagative viruses.

Within‐field spatial distribution patterns of corn planthopper, P eregrinus maidis , and severity of hopperburn and M aize mosaic virus symptoms as influenced by sunn hemp intercropping

Habitat management (e.g., intercropping) may alter within-field spatial distribution patterns of herbivores, from a typical pattern as observed in a monoculture, and may influence patterns of crop injury. Field trials were conducted to study the effect of intercropping maize, Zea mays L. (Poaceae), with sunn hemp, Crotalaria juncea L. (Fabaceae) strips on within-field spatial distribution patterns of corn planthopper, Peregrinus maidis (Ashmead) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), and combined severity of hopperburn and Maize mosaic virus (MMV) (Rhabdoviridae: Nucleorhabdovirus) symptoms. In each field trial, spatially explicit data on P. maidis counts and ratings of severity of symptoms were obtained by sampling maize plants at weekly intervals. These data were used to examine the spatial patterns of P. maidis and severity of symptoms in maize-intercropped and monoculture plots with Spatial Analysis for Distance IndicEs (SADIE) methodology. Spatial aggregation patterns of P. maidis in each treatment plot were not consistent among the field trials and tended to be mediated by their population densities. Interpolation of local cluster indices showed that P. maidis were more often aggregated at the field edges, irrespective of treatment. At times of MMV incidence in field trials (fall 2010 and spring 2011), the patch clusters of P. maidis and symptomatic plants were located at the field edges, but were spatially unassociated in both treatment plots. The results provided an approximation of the unpredictability of P. maidis spatial patterns at different population densities and their association with severity of symptoms in two maize-cropping systems. However, the gap clusters of symptomatic plants were primarily located at the field interiors and were larger in intercropped than in monoculture plots. Such spatial pattern of symptomatic plants resulted in the reduced incidence of MMV in the intercropped plot compared with the monoculture plot, suggesting intercropping sunn hemp can be a useful tool in the management of MMV in maize fields.

Samsun ilinde mısır (Zea mays L.) üretim alanlarında enfeksiyon oluşturan virüslerin belirlenmesi

Survey studies were carried out in 184 corn fields in Samsun province in 2009-2010. A total of 290 leaf samples collected from the first-crop corn planted areas were tested by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method, and 4.8% of these samples were found to be infected with for Maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV). Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) and Sorghum mosaic virus (SrMV) were not detected in these samples. A hundred-thirty samples out of 290 were selected according to different symptom appearance and various locations where surveys were performed. Result of serological tests showed that 7.7% and 3.1% of these samples were infected with MMV (Maize mosaic virus) and BYDV-PAV (Barley yellow dwarf virus), respectively. However, BYDV-MAV and Maize stripe virus (MSpV) were not determined in these samples. A total of 111 leaf samples collected from the second-crop corn planted for silage production were tested by ELISA, and 55%, 0.9% and 0.9% were found to be infected with MMV, BYDV-PAV and MDMV, respectively. In only one sample, double infections of MDMV and MMV were determined (0.9%). None of the samples collected from the second-crop corn fields in Samsun were infected with SCMV, SrMV, MSpV and BYDV-MAV. Additionally, MDMV infection was confirmed by using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in the region.

Evaluation of Maize Inbred Lines for Iranian maize mosaic virus (IMMV) Resistance

Evaluation of Maize Inbred Lines for Iranian maize mosaic virus (IMMV) Resistance

Genetic analysis of resistance to six virus diseases in a multiple virus-resistant maize inbred line

Novel and previously known resistance loci for six phylogenetically diverse viruses were tightly clustered on chromosomes 2, 3, 6 and 10 in the multiply virus-resistant maize inbred line, Oh1VI. Virus diseases in maize can cause severe yield reductions that threaten crop production and food supplies in some regions of the world. Genetic resistance to different viruses has been characterized in maize populations in diverse environments using different screening techniques, and resistance loci have been mapped to all maize chromosomes. The maize inbred line, Oh1VI, is resistant to at least ten viruses, including viruses in five different families. To determine the genes and inheritance mechanisms responsible for the multiple virus resistance in this line, F1 hybrids, F2 progeny and a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from a cross of Oh1VI and the virus-susceptible inbred line Oh28 were evaluated. Progeny were screened for their responses to Maize dwarf mosaic virus, Sugarcane mosaic virus, Wheat streak mosaic virus, Maize chlorotic dwarf virus, Maize fine streak virus, and Maize mosaic virus. Depending on the virus, dominant, recessive, or additive gene effects were responsible for the resistance observed in F1 plants. One to three gene models explained the observed segregation of resistance in the F2 generation for all six viruses. Composite interval mapping in the RIL population identified 17 resistance QTLs associated with the six viruses. Of these, 15 were clustered in specific regions of chr. 2, 3, 6, and 10. It is unknown whether these QTL clusters contain single or multiple virus resistance genes, but the coupling phase linkage of genes conferring resistance to multiple virus diseases in this population could facilitate breeding efforts to develop multi-virus resistant crops.