The spread of soybean mosaic virus (SMV) by aphid vectors was studied in central Illinois in 1978 and 1979 by monitoring sequentially planted plots of soybeans, Glycine max (L.) Merr. Aphids transmitted SMV from about the third week in June until early September, with maximum spread of the virus occurring at times of greatest aphid abundance. The highest disease incidence (94%) was reached between 3 and 17 August 1978 during heavy flights of Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch), a vector of the virus. Field observations and aphid incidence monitored with a Johnson-Taylor suction trap showed that R. maidis settled on soybean plants and remained there overnight. Twelve of the 30 aphid species collected by horizontal ermine lime traps were known vectors of SMV. Two other species collected, Aphis helianthi Monell and Capitophorus hippophaes (Walker), are reported here for the first time as vectors of the virus. Vector species composed 78.0 and 67.2% of all specimens collected in 1978 and 1979, respectively. Myzocallis punctatus (Monell), which composed 9.0% of the aphid specimens collected both years, and Lipaphis erysimi (Kaltenbach), which represented 13.8% of all aphids caught in 1979, did not transmit SMV in laboratory tests. The vector status of 16 other collected taxa is unknown. Aphids in this group represented 6.1 and 14.7% of the specimens collected in 1978 and 1979, respectively.
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Schultz et al. (1985) studied this question.