Transmission of Clover Phyllody Virus by Aphrodes bicinctus (Schrank) in North America

Abstract

PHYLLODY, a disease of clovers, occurs in eastern North America and appears to be similar or identical to the disease present in England, continental Europe and the U.S.S.R. In England, Frazier and Posnette¹ first demonstrated that a virus, transmitted by certain species of leafhoppers, is responsible for causing phyllody in clover, and that the same virus, transmitted by dodder, is responsible for causing greenpetal of strawberry. Leafhopper vectors of this virus recorded to date include Euscelis lineolatus Brullé¹, Macrosteles viridigriseus (Edwards)¹, Aphrodes bicinctus (Schrank)^2,3, Aphrodes albifrons L.⁴ and Macrosteles cristatus (Ribaut)⁴. The work reported here was undertaken to determine if the disease occurring in clover in North America is also caused by a leafhopperborne virus.