Planting date, landscape composition and field management alter potyvirus infection in maize

Viruses limit maize production around the world. Scientists Clemente-Orta et al. developed predictive models at variable spatial scales for explaining the incidence of two closely related potyviruses: maize dwarf mosaic virus and sugarcane mosaic virus at three different landscape scale. They showed that early planting, the management of edges, and the presence of non-crop habitats are key factors of virus incidence.