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Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus and Aphids

Seasonal forecasts of risk are now provided through DAFWA's Crop Disease Forecast page

2009 BYDV risk Forecast updated May 2009

Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) causes a disease in barley, wheat and oats which can lead to stunting of plants and subsequent losses in yield and quality.  It is spread by aphids from infected plants to healthy plants when they feed.  Once infected, a plant cannot be "cured" and significant damage can be caused by only a few aphids moving through a crop.  Historically, high annual rainfall zones of the WA grainbelt have been most prone to yield losses from BYDV, and in many years very little BYDV has been seen in low rainfall zones.   However, when aphids arrive exceptionally early in the lower annual rainfall areas BYDV spread does occur although the extent of yield losses in these areas is unknown.  Aphids can also cause direct feeding damage to cereal plants if they build up to high enough numbers to "starve" the plant by removing water and nutrients for their own use.  Yield losses from aphid feeding damage  can occur across all rainfall zones.  Outbreaks of cereal aphids and epidemics of BYDV are sporadic and in many years may not require control.  However yield losses can occasionally be severe and effective control is required.

The Australian Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) have funded research to develop effective BYDV management strategies and a forecast of risk for both cereal aphid outbreaks and epidemics of BYDV.  In addition, GRDC have funded work to establish thresholds for aphid feeding damage, and the Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFWA) supports the screening of new and established cereal lines for resistance or tolerance to the disease.  The research covered in this web site has been done by Debbie Thackray, Roger Jones, Simon McKirdy, Mike Grimm and Phil Michael at DAFWA, with assistance from Jenny Hawkes, Laura Ward, Monica Thomas, Brenda Coutts, David Pfeiffer and others. 

Site maintained by Debbie Thackray.  Feedback is welcomed. 

For further information contact:

Roger Jones

tel: +61 8 9368 3269
fax: +61 8 9474 2840
e-mail: rjones@agric.wa.gov.au

Page updated: June 2009