Wheat Dwarf Virus (wdv): Symptoms, epidemiology, detection and control

Wheat represents one of the most important agricultural species both in the world and in our country. In addition to diseases caused by phytopathogenic fungi, recently in Serbia the wheat dwarf virus, WDV (Wheat Dwarf Virus), has been of great importance in terms of reduced quality and yield of wheat grains. With the emergence of wheat and barley, a pest, the vectors of this virus, the cicada Psammotettix alienus, appears. Symptoms of yellowing and shortening of internodes are observed on infected plants, which leads to dwarfing of plants and, ultimately, a reduction in yield. It is of great importance to detect viruses both in plants and in vectors using adequate identification methods (serological and molecular methods), as well as adequate application of the necessary agrotechnical measures to control this virus: plowing of crop residues, later sowing of winter grains, control of virus vectors and the selection of more resistant wheat varieties.