Serological Studies on Rice Transitory Yellowing Virus (RTYV) in Rice Plants and Green Leafhoppers

Rice transitory yellowing virus (RTYV) is one of the most important viruses infecting rice plants in China and Southeast Asia· >. In Japan this virus is also sporadically observed at the restricted area (Okinawa)9•> In some experiments•••>, it was demonstrated that RTYV was transmitted by several species of green leafhoppers (Nephotettix apicalis Motsch., N. cincticeps Uhler, etc.). Thus far, epidemiological, etiological or ecological studies4•6•8•9•13> and electron microscopic studies2·3·12> have been done on RTYV, but there are few biochemical or serological ones. This study revealed the characteristics of virions and their protein constituents by the immunoblotting method 10> which utilized the antibodies derived from the purified virus proteins. The feature of virus multiplication in rice plants and their vector insect green leafhoppers was revealed by the same method as well.