Transmission of Rice stripe virus acquired from frozen infected leaves by the small brown planthopper (Laodelphax striatellus Fallen)

Rice stripe disease, caused by Rice stripe virus (RSV), is one of the most serious rice diseases in temperate and subtropical regions of the world. Since RSV is not transmissible mechanically, an insect transmission test was the original basis for identification of the viral population and cultivar resistance. A simple, rapid and reliable method is described by which virus-free small brown planthoppers acquired RSV from frozen infected rice leaves and transmitted the virus to healthy rice plants. Of 30 planthoppers tested, 9 insects fed on the frozen infected leaves acquired the virus as shown by an indirect-ELISA. In the transmission tests with a single insect, fed previously on frozen leaves, 5 of 30 plants (16.67%) became infected, compared to 7 of 30 plants (23.33%) became infected when a single insect fed on fresh infected leaves. All rice plants expressing stripe symptoms were identified with the virus by RT-PCR.