Rice stripe necrosis furovirus was previously reported only from West Africa. It was first found in 1977 in Cote d'Ivoire, and then in Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone. The virus and its putative fungal vector have now been identified in all the major rice-producing regions of Colombia. It is suspected that this new virus disease may have been introduced into Columbia on rice germplasm material from Africa.
Affected leaves show chlorotic or yellow stripes and later become necrotic.
Plant growth is severely reduced, and when affected at an early stage, seedlings may die. Biology and epidemiology of rice viruses . Rice virus emerges in Latin America . Plants may be killed. At present, approximately 60 ha are affected by this disease.