Uniform bright red tips of leaves with stripes running down the leaf blade occasionally associated with yellow streaking or mottling. In some varieties the leaves may be bronze. The leaves are not killed by the infection but the whole plant may be dwarfed, including the roots, especially with early infection. Heads may be sterile or have white sterile florets. There are often patches of infection within the crop.
Species Affected:
Barley, Cereal Rye, Oats, Triticale, Wheat, cereals and many grasses.
Biology:
BYDV is a group of viruses that infect all cereals and many grasses.
Requires green plants to survive.
It does not survive in plant residues, seed or soil.
Life Cycle:
Transmitted by Cereal Aphids usually early in the season or in spring. In Oats, the Oat Aphid and the Rose Grain Aphid are the main vectors for the disease.
Origin and History:
Distribution:
Usually patchy.
Early sown crops in low rainfall areas or long season crops in high rainfall areas are often the worst affected.
Significance:
Most damage occurs in seasons favouring aphids and where perennial grasses or cereal volunteers are close by.
Losses can occur even there are few obvious symptoms.
Stunting of the root system may lead to moisture and nutrient deficiencies.
Heavy yield losses are usually associated with early infections on early sown crops.