RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TARO FEATHERY MOSAIC DISEASE AND ITS INSECT VECTOR, Tarophagus proserpina Kirk.

Abstract

Adults and nymphs of the taro planthopper, Tarophagus proserpina Kirk., were equally efficient in transmitting taro feathery mosaic disease. Both the minimum acquisition feeding period and minimum inoculation feeding period were about 5 min. A single insect could induce the disease in a healthy plant and percentage infection increased as the number of insects was also increased. Starving the insects for 1-6 hours prior to acquisition feeding produced more infected plants than shorter or longer starvation periods. Infective insects could transmit the disease until death and most individuals transmitted the pathogen intermittently.