Co-infection and disease severity of Ohio maize dwarf mosaic virus and maize chlorotic dwarf virus strains

Abstract

Two major maize viruses have been reported in the United States: Maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV) and Maize chlorotic dwarf virus (MCDV). These viruses co-occur in regions where maize is grown, such that co-infections are likely. Co-infection of different strains of MCDV is also observed, and a synergistic enhancement of symptoms in co-infected plants was previously reported. Here, we examined the impact of co-infections of two strains of MCDV (MCDV-S and MCDV-M1, severe and mild, respectively), and co-infections of MCDV and MDMV in the sweet corn hybrid ‘Spirit’ in greenhouse experiments. Quantitative plant growth and development parameters were measured and virus accumulation was measured by reverse-transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Virus symptoms were enhanced and plants showed no recovery over time in co-infections of MDMV-OH and MCDV-S but virus titers and quantitative growth parameters did not indicate synergy in co-infected plants. MCDV-M1 co-infections with either MDMV-OH or MCDV-S did not show symptom enhancement or evidence of synergism.