Transmission of soybean mosaic virus (SMV) by soybean seeds (Glycine max (L.) Merrill)

Abstract

In view of the long-range dissemination of the virus SMV in Brazilian soybean fields, this research was conserned with the transmission of the pathogen by seeds that show seedcoat mottling. Seeds proceeding from contaminated fields were submitted to emergence tests and examination of infected seedlings. The results indicated that the pathogen is transmited through the seeds even when they do not show seedcoat mottling; although no particular effect was found on emergence percentage, the use of mottled seeds tends to increase the number of infected seelings.