Effective virus management in grain crops

Virus diseases constitute a serious threat to global food, by reducing crop yields and spoiling seed quality with an estimated annual impact of over AUD$40 billion. Currently four major viruses have been detected as serious threats in cereals, four in oilseeds and at least nine pulse viruses.

Whilst recognising high prevalence and incidence, losses from viruses were originally estimated to be low. However, recent research has demonstrated significant yield losses are occurring even in the absence of virus symptoms, suggesting that yield losses from virus infections are being severely underestimated. Barley yellow dwarf viruses (BYDV) in wheat and barley can reduce yield by 1% for every 1% of virus incidence, whist Turnip yellows virus (TuYV) in canola is capable of 0.4% yield loss for every 1% incidence. Similar yield losses are observed in pulses and it is expected that viruses will become an ever-increasing constraint to the expansion of high value pulses into higher rainfall production regions of Australia.

The remarkable diversity of plant viruses and their vectors makes it impossible to implement ‘one-size-fits-all’ control solutions. Developing successful management packages for viruses therefore relies on understanding the potential virus-induced yield impacts and the access to diverse options for the control of viruses and their vectors.

This investment will provide strategies for effective virus management in grain crops by; (i) Surveying virus prevalence, incidence across Australia (ii) Quantifying yield losses and promoting grower awareness (iii) Establishing protocols for variety disease resistance ratings (iv) Developing strategies for management of virus infections in the field using RNA based sprays (v) Investigating genetic strategies for resistance to virus infection and virus spread via insect vectors.