Cadle-Davidson, L. and S. M. Gray. 2006. Soil-borne wheat mosaic virus. The Plant Health Instructor. DOI: 10.1094/PHI-I-2006-0424-01

DISEASE:  Soil-borne wheat mosaic

PATHOGEN:  Soil-borne wheat mosaic virus

HOSTS:  Wheat, triticale, rye, barley, and other grasses

Authors
Lance Cadle-Davidson¹ and Stewart M. Gray²
Cornell University and USDA, ARS
¹Geneva and ²Ithaca, NY

Figure 1. Close-up of SBWM nursery

First described in 1919, Soil-borne wheat mosaic virus (SBWMV) can cause severe stunting and mosaic in susceptible wheat, barley and rye cultivars. The disease was often misdiagnosed as a nutritional problem, but this has actually contributed to the fortuitous visual selection by breeding programs of resistant genotypes. Currently, major gene resistance is incorporated into the most popular cultivars grown where SBWM already occurs. Nevertheless, in recent years SBWMV distribution has spread to various wheat growing regions of the U.S. and abroad. This has resulted in a resurgence of research interest in the virus and control of the disease.