Coordination of Diagnostic Efforts in the Great Plains: Wheat Virus Survey and Modeling of Disease Onset.

Abstract

Following the discovery of two new wheat virus diseases in the United States, the Great Plains region (Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming) of the National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN) initiated a project to measure the prevalence of five wheat diseases using indirect ELISA. Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV), Wheat mosaic virus (WMoV), and Triticum mosaic virus (TriMV) were found in all nine states. WSMV was the most prevalent, averaging 23 to 47% of samples each year. TriMV and WMoV were detected with WSMV (in up to 76% of the samples). All three mite-transmitted viruses were present in 26% or fewer of the samples. Aphid-transmitted viruses in the barley yellow dwarf complex Barley yellow dwarf virus, and Cereal yellow dwarf virus-RPV were less frequent (fewer than 65% of the samples). This paper presents the first case-control methodology paper using plant diagnostic laboratory data and the first signed diagnostic data-sharing agreement between the NPDN and its regulatory stakeholders. Samples collected when <700 cumulative degree-days base 0°C, were twice as likely to be virus negative. This proof-of-concept effort highlights the potential of the NPDN and its National Data Repository to develop knowledge about emerging diseases.