Resistant, healthy plants grow in the back. Researchers combine talents to create portrait of virus Stunted, yellowing, dying corn plants began appearing in cornfields across the nation s High Plains and intermountain regions in 1993. Samples quickly found their way to Stanley Jensen. Jensen believed symptoms pointed toward a virus, but it wasn t any viral disease he had seen before. He took samples to IANR Virologist Les Lane, who specializes in identifying unknown viruses.
Scientists make a general identification of viruses by the size of their coat proteins.
Using a minipurification technique he developed, Lane determined the mystery virus coat protein was 32 kilo daltons, a measure of atomic weight, in size. Our impression right now is that this disease is global, Jensen said. High plains virus probably is something that has been around for a long time but was mistakenly identified. We ve just now learned how to recognize it. HPV s sudden prevalence in the world s corn and wheat growing regions made knowledge of the disease a pressing concern.