VIEW ARTICLE

Vector Relations

Pathogenicity of Corn Stunt Spiroplasma and Maize Bushy Stunt Mycoplasma to Their Vector, Dalbulus longulus. L. R. Nault, Department of Entomology, Ohio State University, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Wooster 44691; L. V. Madden(2), W. E. Styer(3), B. W. Triplehorn(4), G. F. Shambaugh(5), and S. E. Heady(6). (2)Department of Plant Pathology, Ohio State University, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Wooster 44691; (3)(4)(5)(6)Department of Entomology, Ohio State University, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Wooster 44691. Phytopathology 74:977-979. Accepted for publication 13 March 1984. Copyright 1984 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-74-977.

Dalbulus longulus is the seventh member of the genus reported as a vector of the corn stunt spiroplasma (CSS) and maize bushy stunt mycoplasma (MBSM). D. longulus was rediscovered in the eastern Mexican state of Veracruz where it utilizes maize (Zea mays), Tripsacum laxum, and T. andersonii as hosts. CSS and MBSM significantly shortened the longevity of adult D. longulus as measured by the quartiles of the survival distribution as well as estimated scale parameter of the Weibull survival model. MBSM caused greater mortality than did CSS. Similar effects of these mollicutes have been reported for other Dalbulus spp. We speculate on the relative importance of various Mexican Dalbulus spp. as field vectors of CSS and MBSM, based upon their differential sensitivity to these pathogens.