New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts
Distribution of ryegrass mosaic virus in New Zealand perennial ryegrass
pastures as determined by ELISA and RT-PCR
D. E. WEBSTER
R. L. S. FORSTER*
HortResearch
Private Bag 92169
Auckland, New Zealand
L. SINCLAIR
P. L. GUY
Botany Department
University of Otago
P.O. Box 56
Dunedin, New Zealand
Abstract Ryegrass mosaic virus (RgMV) is a mite-transmitted
member of the Potyviridae that can seriously affect yield and persistence of
ryegrass in pastures. To determine the incidence and distribution of RgMV in
New Zealand, perennial ryegrass pastures were surveyed by indirect ELISA. RgMV
was detected in all seven mature (>=4 years) North Island pastures and 60%
of 20 mature South Island pastures, indicating that RgMV is established
throughout New Zealand. A reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction
(RT-PCR) assay was developed to confirm the identity of RgMV. This assay was
200 times more sensitive than the indirect ELISA. A possible correlation
between numbers of the eriophyid mites and the incidence of RgMV was observed
in South Island pastures. Our results suggest that mite transmission may be
more significant than ryegrass cultivar, pasture age, endophyte infection, or
mechanical transmission in defining the incidence and distribution of RgMV.
Options for the control of RgMV in New Zealand pastures are discussed.
Keywords ryegrass mosaic virus; virus distribution; pasture
management; virus control; eriophyid mites; ELISA; RT-PCR
New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 1996, Vol. 39: 405-412
0028-8233/96/3903-0405 $2.50/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand
1996
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