Comparative efficiency of Myzus persicae (Sulzer) and Lipaphis erysimi (Kaltenbach) in transmitting radish mosaic virus

Studies on the comparative efficiency of Myzus persicae and Lipaphis erysimi in transmitting radish mosaic virus (RMV) on radish (Raphanus sativus L.) were carried out in screen houses at Entomological Research Farm, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. Pre-acquisition fasting increased the transmission efficiency of both aphid species and maximum transmission was obtained with pre-acquisition fasting of 30 minutes. Both aphid species acquired the virus in 30 seconds. However, maximum transmission was obtained with an acquisition of 10 minutes. Both aphid species transmitted virus to the healthy test plants with minimum inoculation access of 30 seconds. Inoculation access of 20 minutes resulted in maximum transmission of the virus. Single viruliferous aphid of both vectors transmitted the virus and maximum transmission was obtained when 10 adults of M. persicae and 7 adults of L. erysimi were released per plant. The viruliferous aphids lost their infectivity rapidly when given post-acquisition fasting. First leaf stage of the test plant was most susceptible to virus inoculation by both the vectors. Adults of M. persicae and L. erysimi retained the virus to a maximum period of 5 and 10 minutes, respectively in serial transmission. L. erysimi was more efficient vector of RMV with average transmission of 82.5 per cent, than M. persicae with an average transmission of 70.0 per cent.