Effect of Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus Infection on Winter Survival and Other Agronomic Traits in Barley1

Abstract

Four cultivars and four experimental lines of winter barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), varying in resistance to barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV), were grown during 1978‐79 and 1979‐80 in four treatments: (a) caged to exclude natural aphid vectors, (b) caged inoculated with viruliferous Rhopalosiphum padi, (c) exposed to natural aphid vectors, (d) exposed and inoculated with R. padi. Overall, BYDV infection reduced winter survival, plant height, number of spike‐bearing tillers, total dry weight, grain yield, and seed size. The reduction was related to the amount of BYDV injury. In Post, the entry with the least BYDV injury, none of the traits were reduced significantly. In Harrison and Durra, the entries with the largest BYDV injury, all of the traits were reduced severely by the viral infection. The remaining entries were intermediate in their reaction to BYDV and also in the expression of the agronomic traits. The data confirm that fall infection by BYDV predisposes winter barley to winter injury and reduces height, tillering, grain yield, and seed size, and that entries selected for this experiment vary in response to BYDV infection.