Effect of Mineral Oil and a Systemic Insecticide on Field Spread of Aphid-Borne Maize Dwarf Mosaic Virus in Sweet Corn1

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The percentage of field grown sweet corn plants infected by maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV) was significantly less for plants receiving applications of mineral oil (mineral oil = 15.4% and mineral oil and aphicide = 16.7%) than plants untreated (23.2%) and plants having only an aphicide treatment (27.7%). The mineral oil had no adverse affect on aphid population growth. The mineral oil caused no phytoxicity. Alates of the following species of aphids, known to transmit MDMV, were trapped: corn leaf aphid, Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch); English grain aphid, Macrosiphum avenae (F.); green peach aphid Myzus persicae (Sulzer); and potato aphid, Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas).