Emerging Pest Alert

New rice virus spreading in China

Scientific Name: Fijivirus Southern rice black streaked dwarf virus

Describer: nan

Common Name: SRBSDV

Title: New rice virus spreading in China

Summary:

Significance: Discovered in 2005, a new virus has been found to be spreading in the southern provinces of China and the northern provinces of Vietnam. Tentatively named Southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus (SRBSDV), the virus has caused severe damage in some areas to rice and maize. Vectored by the white-backed planthopper, symptoms include stunting, dark leaf and small enations on stem and leaf backs.

Hosts: Rice (Oryza sativa), corn (Zea mays), barnyard grass (Echinochloa crusgalli), Juncellus serotinus and flaccidgrass (Pennisetum flaccidum)

Vector(s)/Dispersal: White-backed planthoppers, Sogatella furcifera (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)

References:

Zhou, G. H., J. J. Wen, D. J. Cai, P. Li, D. L. Xu, and S. G. Zhang. 2008. Southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus: A new proposed Fijivirus species in the family Reoviridae. Chinese Science Bulletin 53(23):3677-3685.