Effect of Field Distribution of Maize Dwarf Mosaic-Diseased Corn Plants on Yield

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Abstract
The grain yields of healthy corn (Z. mays L.) plants bordered by healthy or by maize dwarf mosaic (MDM)-diseased plants and of MDM-diseased plants bordered by healthy or by MDM-diseased plants were determined in order to separate the total yield loss caused by maize dwarf mosaic virus into 2 components, the direct effect on the yielding ability of diseased plants and the indirect effect of the reduced competitiveness of MDM-diseased plants growing next to healthy plants. In the experimental hybrid Mp490 .times. Mo12, diseased plants bordered by diseased plants yielded 11 and 27% less than healthy plants bordered by healthy plants in 1978 and 1979, respectively. Yields from diseased plants bordered by healthy plants were reduced an additional 16% in each year. Healthy plants flanked by diseased plants did not show compensating yield increases from the reduced competitiveness of the adjacent diseased plants. In fields with comparable MDM incidence, yield reductions would be greater when diseased plants are randomly distributed than when they are concentrated in pockets in the field.

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