OCCURRENCE OF WHEAT SPINDLE STREAK MOSAIC-VIRUS ON WINTER-WHEAT IN GEORGIA

A virus disease not previously reported in Georgia was observed in winter wheat during the spring of 1984. The cause was identified as wheat spindle streak mosaic virus (WSSMV) based on symptomatology, mode of transmission, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and serum-specific electron microscopy. Wheat spindle streak mosaic (WSSM) was observed in a number of locations in Georgia, primarily in an area near Plains, and also near Hartsville, SC. It was found on two wheat cultivars. Coker 797 and Florida 301, and on rye. A significant yield difference was found between healthy and diseased plants (22 and 35%) of Florida 301 at two of three locations. Yield reduction resulted mainly from a decrease in tillering. Other yield components that were reduced significantly were kernel weight, straw weight, and total biomass. This is the first report of WSSMV in the southeastern United States.