Serological Detection of Beet Western Yellows Luteovirus in the Non-vector,Brevicoryne brassicae (Homoptera: Aphididae)

The interaction between beet western yellows luteovirus (BWYV) and the aphid species Brevicoryne brassicae was investigated using virus transmission and serological detection experiments. This species failed to transmit a BWYV isolate from infected to healthy oilseed rape plants, although virus was readily detected by double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA) in single B. brassicae adults. When virus-carrying adults were tested by ELISA after different inoculation access periods, the number of virus-positive individuals decreased after 5 days, whereas with the efficient vector Myzus persicae, virus-positive individuals were found even after 10 days. This confirms the inability of B. brassicae to transmit BWYV, even though it may acquire the virus. It is suggested that B. brassicae, as compared with the efficient vector M. persicae, may serve as an experimental model for studying the mechanisms of the luteovirus-vector specificity