Experimental Hosts of the Beet Leafhopper-Transmitted Virescence Agent

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Abstract
The vector Circulifer tenellus was used to inoculate 60 species of plants with the beet leafhopper-transmitted virescence agent (BLTVA). A wide range of host reactions was seen in 43 species, including floral gigantism, host induction response, internode elongation, internode shortening, leaf deformation, leaf mottling, proliferation, stunting, tip necrosis, virescence, wilting and yellowing. No nonsymptomatic hosts were found, but 17 plant species did not develop symptoms of infection after exposure to inoculative leafhoppers; this included all the monocots tested. A number of plants that have been reported as hosts of economically important MLO diseases also proved to be hosts of BLTVA. In seven host species, flowering was induced in plants grown under environmental conditions that would normally be noninductive for flowering.