New pest of Maize: Maize lethal necrosis in Uganda

Publication Date

Fri, 05 Apr 2013, 00:00

Last Updated

June 19, 2013, 9:01 a.m.

Report Number

UGA-01/2

Country

Uganda

Pest Id

Sugarcane mosaic virus - (SCMV00)

Report Status

Preliminary

Hosts

Zea mays

Pest Status (old values from ISPM 8 -1998 )

• Present: subject to official control
• Transient: actionable, under surveillance

Pest Status (ISPM 8 - 2021)

• Present: not widely distributed and under official control
• Present: transient

Geographical Distribution

Kasese, Busia, Tororo and Mukono

Summary

Maize lethal necrosis (MLN) is casued by co-infection of maize chlorotic mottle virus (MCMV genus; Machlorovirus transmitted by Chrysomelid beettle vectors, and Maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV, genus Potyvirus or Wheat Streak Mosaic virus (WSMV genus- Tritimovirus. Symptoms of the individual viruses are synergistically enhanced in MLN and may include leaf mottling and necrosis, distortion of ears, absence of kernels, failure to produce tassels, as well as stunting, premature aging, and death of plants. Symptoms may disappear during the growing season leaving plants with latent infections but reduced yield as virus reservoirs and making disease monitoring difficult.

Danger

It is a threat to food security and may cause up to 100% yield loss

Contact for info

Commissioner, Department of Crop Protection Ministry of Agriculture animal Industry and Fisheries P.O Box 102 Entebbe email: [email protected]

Report files

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