Occurrence of Corn Stunt Spiroplasma at Different Elevations in Mexico

Abstract

A survey of Spiroplasma kunkelii, or corn stunt spiroplasma (CSS), was conducted in Mexico from October 1985 to March 1988 using phase contrast or dark field light microscopy (DFM) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Three types of symptoms were observed: consistently stunted plants whose leaves had well-defined broad chlorotic streaking and that were usually observed at 60-940 m above sea level, plants that were not always stunted but whose leaf margins showed red to purple streaks, and plants that usually were not stunted but whose leaves showed either a diffuse yellow or a chlorotic stripe condition with or without red margins. (…)