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By Jayson Taylor

Wheat streak mosaic virus seeing increased cases in Alberta

Jul 11, 2023 | 12:05 PM

EDMONTON – Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation’s crop health team has detected increased cases of wheat streak mosaic (WSM) around Alberta. The disease most commonly affects wheat and is a viral disease that causes the plant to stunt, and therefore produce fewer seeds.

The most recent epidemic of the virus was back in 2017, although some cases were reported in 2022 on a much smaller scale.

As of the end of June 2023, more than 20 fields were confirmed to have been impacted by the virus in southern Alberta, with symptoms being reported in fields just south of the Red Deer River.

Producers, agronomists, and crop scouts are encouraged to watch for symptoms in not only wheat but other grains and cereals and crops like corn and barley.

Initial symptoms include light green streaks parallel to leaf veins that discontinuously elongate to give a mosaic coloration often alternating between chlorosis, pale green, and dark green. In severe cases, symptoms coalesce to form chlorotic areas and may even cause complete scorching and desiccation of leaves. On some hosts, a purple discoloration may appear. Symptoms may first appear at the field edge on volunteer wheat, or on winter wheat crops.

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WSMV is not a regulated pest, however, management options are limited for producers. The only in-season management option for severely infected fields is to harvest the crop early for silage or green feed.

Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation says that the best way to prevent the virus from popping up is for crop-rotation to be practiced.