New BYDV treatment can reduce disease risk
UNSEASONABLY warm autumn temperatures have increased the risk of yield loss from barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) – but now a novel treatment has become available to growers.
BYDV can cause yield losses of 30-40% in warm autumns and with the ban on neonicotinoids, researchers have been trialling new ways to control the disease.
Orion Future Technology conducted a trial with NIAB to investigate the effect of a range of treatments to protect winter cereals against BYDV. Trials using a silicon biostimulant foliar spray, either with a pyrethroid or as a standalone alternative, had shown encouraging results in the trial.
NIAB agronomist, Dr Syed Shah, said: “We applied three sprays on KWS Extase winter wheat that emerged September 19, 2021, on a high-risk site in south Devon. One of the most successful treatments was a combination of Sirius, a silicon biostimulant mixed with a wellestablished pyrethroid product.
“However, for those looking to protect both crop and beneficials, the results from the silicon only treatment were encouraging. More small plots and on-farm trials will be conducted to validate the results.”
Combining the biostimulant with the pyrethroid saw a yield increase of 17.2%, over untreated area. Using Sirius alone improved yield over the untreated by 5.5%, compared to a 9.7% yield increase achieved with only a pyrethroid.
The trial found the use of Sirius helped to strengthen the plant’s natural defences against biting pests such as aphids. It strengthened cell walls and increased cuticle thickness, which reduced aphid feeding. This also reduced the risk of virus transmission.