Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus and Triticum Mosaic Virus in Wheat

Dear All,

The wheat crop is full of challenges this year and I want to alert you to another one that has started showing in more and more areas with the warmer temperatures.

We have confirmed samples of plants infected with Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus and Triticum Mosaic Virus in San Angelo.

These viruses are spread by the wheat curl mite from volunteer wheat or other grasses in the fall and with the onset of heat the virus is showing the characteristic yellow leaf symptoms.

Disease is wide spread in many fields and plants from several other surrounding counties have been sampled to confirm the symptoms.

There is nothing we can do at this time of year but we need a community effort this summer and fall to remove the host plants and break the curl mite lifecycle.

Below are links to some publications that are good resources.

http://varietytesting.tamu.edu/wheat/docs/e337wheatstreakmosiacvirus-2.pdf

http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/plantsci/smgrains/pp646.pdf

http://www.plantpath.ksu.edu/doc928.ashx

David R. Drake Ph.D.

Extension Agronomist

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

7887 US Hwy 87 N

San Angelo, TX 76901

Office: 325-653-4576 ext 230

Fax: 325-655-7791

Mobile: 325-716-3364