Index >>Plant Viruses >> Rice Dwarff Virus (RDV

Rice Dwarff Virus (RDV) - This virus is the causative agent of a serious rice disease in Japan.

It infects rice plants and other members of the Graminae, and results in stunting of the plants. It is transmitted by leaf hoppers through the ovary.

The icosahedral virion is 70 nm in diameter and consists of 180 structural units organised into 92 capsomeres. (A model based on 32 capsomeres has also been proposed for RDV). Each capsomere is composed of, 5 or 6 structural units.

They are in the form of hol1ow tubes about 6 nm in diameter and 9.5 nm in length. The RNA content is 12% and the G+C content 44%. RNA exists in the from of 12 segments ranging from 2.8 - 0.44 x 106.

The virus particles have an outer envelope of lipid which appears to be derived from the cell membrane of the host cell.