Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYVD) affects a wide range of grass hosts including wheat, oats and barley with oats being considered the most susceptible crop. In some regions of the province, BYDV has been reported as having a significant negative impact on oat yields.
The primary symptoms of BYDV include stunting and yellowing, reddening or purpling of the leaf tips. BYDV is often confused with nutrient deficiency or other environmental causes, or other virus diseases such as wheat spindle streak mosaic virus or soil-borne wheat mosaic virus. Identifying viral pathogens is very difficult and requires a diagnostic test such as ELISA to confirm an infection. It is best to send samples to a diagnostic lab with these capabilities such as the Plant Disease Clinic, University of Guelph, Agriculture and Food Laboratory. |READ MORE
