Biological Characterization of an Italian Isolate of Barley Yellow Dwarf Luteovirus from Barley

An isolate of BYDV (BYDV-OC), from barley in Northwest Italy with typical symptoms of yellowing and dwarfing, was transmitted by Rhopalosiphum padi, Sitohion fragariae. S. avenae, Melopolophium festucae, R. maidis and M. dirhodum, but not by Mvzus persicae or Schizaphis graminum. It reacted in DAS-ELISA with monoclonal and polyclonal antisera to PAV, but not with antibodies to MAV. RPV and RMV. A polyclonal antiserum prepared to BYDV-OC did not react with MAV-like, RPV-like, or RMV-like isolates of BYDV in ELISA or in Western blots. The concentration of BYDVOC in Avena hyzantina plants decreased from weeks 1 to 10 after inoculation, but the total virus content per plant increased up to weeks 7 to 8, following the increase of plant weight.