Wheat Streak Mosaic on Wheat

Wheat Streak Mosaic on Wheat

This disease is caused by the wheat streak mosaic virus. The virus infects wheat, oats and corn as well as many weedy grasses. Wheat streak mosaic virus survives between crops on volunteer wheat, cor and grass hosts. It is transmitted by the wheat curl mite (Eriophyes tulipae (K.)). The mites are wingless and webless and are spread from plant to plant by wind. The disease cycle begins in the fall when mites carrying the virus are windblown to the newly emerging fall crop of wheat. The mites can be disseminated one-fourth to one-half mile from their source. Disease development and spread is most extensive when the fall crop is planted early (10 days to two weeks earlier than recommended for a given area) and warm, dry weather extends into November. The virus and mites overwinter in the wheat crop. Virus particles remain within the host tissue and the mite survives as eggs, nymphs or adults in the crown area. When the wheat begins to green up in the spring, eggs of the mites hatch and larvae begin to feed. They can acquire the virus within 15 minutes of feeding and remain infective for seven to nine days. Mite feeding and virus multiplication continue on and in the wheat until it matures and begins to dry down. At this time the mite moves to an alternate host. Volunteer wheat, often produced as the result of a late season hailstorm is the most important summer host in the central Great Plains.

Symptoms

While wheat streak mosaic infection occurs in the fall, symptoms of the most characteristic symptom of a wheat streak mosaic infection is the presence of yellow parallel streaks on the leaves. The streaks are discontinuous and cover the entire leaf. Plants infected at early tillering or before are stunted, discolored and rosetted with the youngest leaves exhibiting the characteristic mosaic pattern. Plants infected when tillering has been well established exhibit stunting and rosetting to a lesser degree or not at all. Field symptoms often become evident on the edge of the field adjacent to infected corn or volunteer wheat first. A gradation of disease symptoms may been seed across the field from the source of the virus infested mites. This gradation may or may not be evident if mites are blown in from longer distances. The presence of the wheat curl mite (with or without the virus) can also be readily detected on individual plants. Infested leaves remain erect and are curled inward toward the mid-rib. Newly emerging leaves may be trapped inside a older curled leaf. Trapped leaves curl back on themselves as they emerge forming a loop. Yield loss from wheat streak mosaic can be substantial but will vary with the degree of infection.

Plant Health Management

Plant winter wheat on the recommended date for your area

Recommended planting dates are available from your local county extension office. This date will correspond to the Hessian fly-free date.

Control volunteer wheat and grassy weeds

Plant cultivars with tolerance to wheat streak mosaic

Avoid planting winter wheat next to late maturing green corn fields or late maturing oat fields.

References

Watkins, J.E., French, R.C., Campbell, JB., Kerr, E.D. and R.N. Klein.1989. Wheat streak mosaic disease. Nebraska Cooperative Extension Service, Lincoln, NE. Extension Circular EC 89-1871.

Weise, M.V. 1987. Compendium of wheat diseases 2^nd ed. American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN. 112 pp.

Willis, W.G. 1984. Wheat diseases. Cooperative Extension Service, Kansas State Univ., Manhattan, KS. Extension Publication S-23.

Useful Links

Texas A&M University

Highlighted Area

Goatgrass, hairy grama, downy brome, Japanese brome, cheat grass, sandbur, crabgrass, barnyardgrass, Canada wildrye, Virginia wildrye, stinkgrass, witchgrass, green foxail, and foxtail millet.

Caveat

This description is presented for information only and no endorsement is intented for products listed, nor criticism meant for products not mentioned. Always consult the product label before purchasing and using any pesticide.

Material contained on the Links from the page are the responsibility of the linked page's author(s).

This page was drafted by: Jane Christensen, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Disease images were provided by: Dr. David Wysong, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

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This page is authored and maintained by:
Dr. J.E. Partridge, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

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