Aphid Vectors of Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus in West-Central Morocco.

The ability of seven aphid species, collected in west-central Morocco, to transmit barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) was determined. Aphids were either collected from grasses showing symptoms of BYDV infection or were allowed acquisition access to plants infected with a PAV-like isolate of BYDV before transfer to oat test plants. BYDV transmission by six of the seven aphid species was confirmed by ELISA test; only Melanaphis donacis failed to transmit. The six newly defined BYDV vector species brings the total known to occur in Morocco to ten. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]