Infection incidence of sugarcane yellow leaf virus (SCYLV) from one partial sugarcane crop cycle (November 2001-June 2003) of sugarcane assessment ranged from 0.3 to 12.2% in four fields in which virus infection and aphid infestations were monitored in 144 contiguous quadrats. Incidence in the subsequent ratoon crop during April 2003 still ranged from 0.3 to 13.0%. The sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sacchari, a known colonizing vector of SCYLV in sugarcane, was the most abundant aphid species detected in bi-weekly surveys of the test fields. During Spring 2002, the percentage of plots infested with the sugarcane aphid began low, but subsequently increased to nearly 100%. Apparantly, most of the aphids were non-viruliferous.
M. sacchari infestations during the Spring of 2003 were again low. A survey of 42 fields across the entire Louisiana sugarcane production area indicated that SCYLV infections occurred in all regions but with varying levels of infection. No virus was detected in 22 of 42 (52%) fields. The results of the state-wide survey indicated that the areas surrounding the test fields also had low incidence of SCYLV. Low incidence of virus suggests that there may not be enough inoculum present in the area to be spread by the aphid vector.
Species 1: Homoptera Aphididae Melanaphis sacchari (sugarcane aphid)
Keywords: virus, sugarcane
Back to Student Competition Ten-Minute Papers, Cc, Insect Vectors in Relation to Plant Disease, Cf2, Quantitative Ecology, and F1, Crop Protection Entomology
Back to Student Competition TMP Orals
Back to The 2003 ESA Annual Meeting and Exhibition