EPPO Global Database

EPPO Reporting Service no. 07 - 1999 Num. article: 1999/127

Wheat China mosaic furovirus: a new virus of wheat in China


In Shandong province, China, a soil-borne disease of wheat has been observed during the last 20 years. The disease is characterized by light chlorotic streaking on the youngest leaves and bright yellow chlorotic streaking on older leaves or purple chlorotic stripes on some local wheat cultivars. Infected plants are severely stunted, wilt and later die. Yield losses of 10-30% are commonly observed, and can reach up to 70% in some cases. Studies have showed that the disease is caused by wheat yellow mosaic bymovirus and/or a rod-shaped virus. The disease is also associated with Polymyxa graminis which is the presumed vector of both viruses. The rod-shape virus was described as wheat soil-borne mosaic furovirus on the basis of serological relationship. However, further characterization studies (particle morphology, serology, analysis of nucleotide sequences) have shown that the rod-shaped virus is distinct from wheat soil-borne mosaic furovirus and is a new virus for which the name wheat China mosaic furovirus is proposed.

Sources

Ye, R.; Zheng, T.; Chen, J.; Diao, A.; Adams, M.J.; Yu, S.; Antoniw, J.F. (1999) Characterization and partial sequence of a new furovirus of wheat in China.
Plant Pathology, 48(3), 379-387.