Abstract
This review summarizes research on virus diseases of cereals and oilseeds in Australia since the 1950s. All viruses known to infect the diverse range of cereal and oilseed crops grown in the continent’s temperate, Mediterranean, subtropical and tropical cropping regions are included. Viruses that occur commonly and have potential to cause the greatest seed yield and quality losses are described in detail, focusing on their biology, epidemiology and management. These are: barley yellow dwarf virus, cereal yellow dwarf virus and wheat streak mosaic virus in wheat, barley, oats, triticale and rye; Johnsongrass mosaic virus in sorghum, maize, sweet corn and pearl millet; turnip yellows virus and turnip mosaic virus in canola and Indian mustard; tobacco streak virus in sunflower; and cotton bunchy top virus in cotton. The currently less important viruses covered number nine infecting nine cereal crops and 14 infecting eight oilseed crops (none recorded for rice or linseed). Brief background information on the scope of the Australian cereal and oilseed industries, virus epidemiology and management and yield loss quantification is provided. Major future threats to managing virus diseases effectively include damaging viruses and virus vector species spreading from elsewhere, the increasing spectrum of insecticide resistance in insect and mite vectors, resistance-breaking virus strains, changes in epidemiology, virus and vectors impacts arising from climate instability and extreme weather events, and insufficient industry awareness of virus diseases. The pressing need for more resources to focus on addressing these threats is emphasized and recommendations over future research priorities provided.
Highlights
On a global scale, virus disease outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics threaten all kinds of crops and, depending upon individual circumstances, cause damage varying from total crop failure to small-scale losses
We provide detailed recommendations for future research needed to address these threats and emphasize the major biosecurity risk to Australian cereal and oilseed industries posed by damaging viruses and their virus vector species spreading from other countries
The cereal virus diseases currently of greatest cause for concern are those caused by Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) and Cereal yellow dwarf virus (CYDV) in wheat, barley and oats, wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) in wheat, and Johnsongrass mosaic virus (JGMV) in maize, sweet corn and sorghum
Summary
Virus disease outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics threaten all kinds of crops and, depending upon individual circumstances, cause damage varying from total crop failure to small-scale losses. Our review aims to rectify this situation by providing an up-to-date, comprehensive review covering all past and recent Australian research undertaken on viral diseases of these two types of crop across the full spectrum of the continent’s agroecological zones It starts by providing brief general background information concerning the scope of the Australian Grains Industry, plant virus epidemiology, the general principles of virus disease management and yield loss estimation, and listing all viruses recorded infecting Australian cereal and oilseed crops. It provides more detailed accounts of Australian research on virus diseases of these two crop categories, makes recommendations for future research, and describes how new virus and vector incursions from overseas, insecticide resistance in virus vectors and climate change are magnifying their epidemics and the damage they cause
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