Maize Chlorotic Mottle

Maize Chlorotic Mottle

This disease is caused by the maize chlorotic mottle virus (MCMV). Hosts of the virus include corn, sorghum, wheat, barley, rye, Johnsongrass, Teosinte, and several other native grass species. MCMV is vectored by six leaf beetles and can be mechanically transmitted. The common vectors are: cereal leaf beetle (Oulema melanopa), corn flea beetle (Chaetocnama pulicaria), flea beetle (Systema frontalis), southern corn rootworm (Diabrotica undecimpunctata-howardi), northern corn rootworm (D. longicornis) and western corn rootworm (D. virgifera). The virus overwinters on crop reside. Larvae of the beetles feed on residue in the absence of fresh material later transmit the virus to the new crop. MCMV is one of the components of corn lethal necrosis.

Symptoms

Initial symptoms appear as fine chlorotic stripes that run parallel to the leaf veins. Over time the stripes coalesce producing long chlorotic blotches (mottling) and necrosis follows. Affected leaves curl downward in the later stage of infection. Other symptoms include stunting, distorted tassels and decreased ear production.

Plant Health Management

Resistant Hybrids

Plant Population

References

Schurtleff, M.C. 1980 . Compendium of Corn Diseases (2nd. ed.). American Phytopathological Society. St. Paul, MN. p. 63.

Additional References:

Gordon DT, Bradfute OE, Gingery RE, Nault LR, Uyemoto JK (1984) Maize chlorotic mottle virus. CMI/AAB Descriptions of plant viruses N° 284, 4pp

Jaing XQ, Wilkinson DR, Berry JA (1990) An outbreak of maize chlorotic mottle virus in Hawaii and possible association with thrips. Phytopathology 80: 1060

Jensen SG (1985) Laboratory transmission of maize chlorotic mottle virus by three species of corn root worm. Plant Dis 69: 864-868

Jensen SG, Wysong DS, Ball EM, Higley PM (1991) Seed transmission of maize chlorotic mottle virus. Plant Dis 75: 497-498

Koonin EV (1991) The phylogeny of RNA-dependent RNA polymerases of positive-strand RNA viruses. J Gen Virol 72: 2197-2206

Koonin EV (1991) Phylogeny of capsid proteins of small icosahedral RNA plant viruses. J Gen Virol 72: 1481-1486 Lommel SA, Kendall TL, Siu NF, Nutter RC (1991) Characterization of maize chlorotic mottle virus. Phytopathology 81: 819-823

Lommel SA, Kendall TL, Xiong Z, Nutter RC (1991) Identification of the maize chlorotic mottle virus capsid protein cistron and characterization of its subgenomic messenger RNA. Virology 181: 382-385

Nutter RC, Sheets K, Panganiban LC, Lommel SA (1989) The complete nucleotide sequence of maize chlorotic mottle virus. Nucl Acids Res 17: 3163-3177

Uyemoto JK, Bockelman DL, Claflin LE (1980) Severe outbreak of corn lethal necrosis disease in Kansas. Plant Dis 64: 99-100

Useful Links

North Carolina State University

Plant Viruses Online

Caveat

This description is presented for information only and no endorsement is intended for products listed, nor criticism meant for products not mentioned. Always consult the product label before purchasing and using any pesticide.

Material contained on the Links from the page are the responsibility of the linked page's author(s).

This page was drafted by: Jane Christensen, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Disease images were provided by: Dr. David Wysong, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Questions, Comments, Complaints and Complements?

This page is authored and maintained by:
Dr. J.E. Partridge, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

E-Mail Home Page