Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus On The Increase

 

 

 

 

Several winter wheat fields scouted the week of May 16-20 contained plants infected with Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV). The typical symptom of BYDV is the purplish-yellow color of infected leaves especially the flag leaf (Figure 1). Advanced symptoms include dying leaves, which starts from the leaf tip and progresses towards the stem. Sometimes BYDV symptoms are not obvious until flag leaf emergence.

 

 

In South Dakota, BYDV is transmitted by three aphid species; bird cherry oat aphid (Rhopalosiphum padi), English grain aphid (Sitobion avenae), and greenbug (Schizaphis graminum). There are three main strains of BYDV transmitted by the three vectors; BYDV-MAV is mainly transmitted by the English grain aphid; BYDV-PAV is mainly transmitted by bird cherry oat aphid, and BYDV-SGV is mainly transmitted by the greenbug. Unfortunately, there are no in-season treatments for plants already infected with BYDV.

 

 

The Upper Great Plains Wheat Diseases Working Group is conducting a study to determine the occurrence and distribution of different strains of this virus in South Dakota, Minnesota, and North Dakota. Information from this study will help breeders target the most common strains of BYDV.