| Corn and Soybean Virology |
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The virus research team was originally formed in the 1960s in response to a dual epidemic of maize chlorotic dwarf virus (MCDV) and maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV) that devastated Ohio's cornfields. The group originally consisted of a plant pathologist, a virologist, an entomologist and a maize breeder. The ARS group collaborated with Ohio State University faculty in Entomology, Plant Pathology and Crop Science faculty to identify the two viruses and their vectors. Since then, the group has studied viruses that limit maize production across the U.S. and worldwide. It is an internationally-known center of expertise in maize virus identification, characterization and epidemiology, and functions as an important early warning system for exotic viruses and vector-transmitted pathogens that threaten corn production in the U.S. Over the past 10 years, the group has included research to control emerging virus diseases and insect pests that threaten soybean production.
Our Mission is to understand viruses and insect-transmitted pathogens that infect maize and soybean, their transmission and crop resistance to disease.
Past accomplishments include:
- Characterized 'new' and emerging corn viruses and their vectors.
- Developed antisera for identification of 17 corn-infecting viruses.
- Developed mechanical and insect transmission protocols to evaluate virus resistance in corn.
- Identified and released virus resistant germplasm, and mapped virus resistance genes including for maize chlorotic dwarf virus, maize dwarf mosaic virus, and sugarcane mosaic virus.
- Identified differential responses of soybean germplasm to bean pod mottle virus.
- Published more than 250 research and review articles (joint ARS/OSU group).
Recent accomplishments include:
- Identified virus populations associated with emergent maize lethal necrosis (MLN) in East Africa
- Sequenced virus genomes, developed diagnostics, and biologically characterized newly discovered maize viruses including maize yellow mosaic virus and an East African isolate of Johnsongrass mosaic virus contributing to MLN
- Identified and mapped resistance genes for maize chlorotic mottle virus
- Sequenced and assembled insect vector transcriptome for an important leafhopper vector of maize viruses, Graminella nigrifrons, together with OSU scientists
Current capabilities:
- Rapid identification and characterization of viral pathogens of corn and soybean.
- Identification of genome sequences, vectors, diagnostic tools, and disease symptoms for newly discovered viruses
- Identification of virus resistant germplasm and mapping of virus specific resistance genes in corn.
- Assessment of virus interactions with hosts and insect vectors
Current objectives
- Monitor and identify emerging insect-transmitted pathogens of maize and soybean using standard and bioinformatics-based approaches, and develop management strategies.
- Identify virus factors important for pathogenesis, transmission and host interactions, and develop virus systems for gene discovery and functional analysis in maize and other cereals.
- Identify and characterize mechanisms of action of genetic loci for virus resistance in maize.
- Characterize pathogen vectoring relationships of and between emerging insect pests and vectors of maize pathogens using comparative genetic and genomic analyses to identify factors that can be disrupted for disease control.
