Figure 5.

Phytopathogenicity of infected and mycovirus-free strains towards seedling of Zea mays L. (a) Growth of corn seedlings infected with the different fungal strains. The inoculation was carried out in the seeds, and the seedlings were cultivated in a hydroponic system with controlled photoperiod, temperature, and humidity. The height of the plant stem was measured after germination, when the coleoptile or the first leaf exceeded 5 cm in height. Measurements were taken on day one, four, eight, and fifteen post germination. The values are expressed as means of plant height, and the whiskers show standard error. The asterisk indicates a significant difference with respect to the other measurements on the same day (multiple range DGC test, p < 0.05). (b) Plant biomass of infected seedlings. Values are expressed as biomass mean, and whiskers show standard error. The values containing an asterisk are statistically different from the others, according to the multiple range DGC test (p < 0.05). In panels (a,b), Fusarium verticillioides and F. andiyazi strains were evaluated separately. The mycovirus-infected strains are Fusarium andiyazi 162 (Fa162 with FaMV1-162) and F. verticillioides Sec505 (FvSec505 with FvMV1), and the virus-free strains are F. andiyazi 210 (Fa210), F. verticillioides M3125 (FvM3125) and F. verticillioides Arv2300 (FvArv2300).