Location of Soybean Mosaic Virus in Seed-Parts of Individual Dormant and Germinating Mottled and Non-mottled Soybean Seeds

Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) was detected in individual embryos of both dormant mottled (50%) and non-mottled (50%) seeds of certified soybean cvs Davis. Essex. Hutchinson, Ransom, Stonewall, and Young by using the double antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA). SMV was not detected in individual strained seed coats of mottled or non-stained seed coats of non-mottled dormant seeds and endosperms of either type of seed. SMV was not detected m individual stained and nonstained seed coats, epicotyls, and endosperms of mottled and non-mottled seeds at 72 h post-germination. However, the virus was detected in individual hypocotyls at an average level of 31% in post-germinated seeds (mottled and non-mottled) of all cultivars. Symptomless glasshouse-grown 6–8-week-old seedlings from mottled and non-mottled seeds of certified soybean cultivars occurred twice as often as those showing early symptoms. However, almost half of these symptomless plants were found to be SMV-infected by DASELISA. Virus-free soybean plants grown to maturity from non-mottled seeds also produced mottled seeds.