A TYPE OF SUGARCANE MOSAIC VIRUS INFECTING MAIZE, SORGHUM AND JOHNSONGRASS IN IRAN

A type of sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) found in maize in the vicinity of Shiraz, Iran in spring 1989, showed serological relatedness to strain D of SCMV but not to strain MDMV-B of SCMV, strain A of maize dwarf mosaic virus, strain SCMV-H of sorghum mosaic virus or strain MDMV-O of Johnsongrass mosaic virus. Isolates from maize) sorghum and Johnsongrass from several regions of Iran were closely related or indentical serologically. The virus was transmitted by Diuraphis noxia, Schizaphis graminis, Rhopalosiphum padi and R. maidis under experimental conditions. It infected maize, sorghum, Johnsongrass, Sudangrass, sugarcane and Eleusine indica but not several other members of Poaceae when mechanically inoculated. The Iranian isolate differs from many other strains of SCMV by naturally infecting Johnsongrass.