Maize streak virus is a plant disease. It is an insect-transmitted maize pathogen in the genus Mastrevirus of the family Geminiviridae that is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa. The A-strain of MSV (MSV-A) causes sporadic maize streak disease epidemics throughout the maize growing regions of Africa.
MSV is mainly transmitted by Cicadulina mbila, but other leafhopper species, such as C. storeyi, C. arachidis and C. dabrowski, are also able to transmit the virus.Typical of all mastreviruses, MSV's circular,