Weeds as Reservoirs of Viruses in Agrobiocenoses of Cereal Crops in Ukraine

Abstract

This review examines current knowledge on the prevalence of weeds and feral grass specie as possible reserves of plant viruses in the agroecosystems of Ukraine. Studies concerning mainly virus infection of wheat and barley and weeds distributed in the agrosystems of cereal crops and their impact on virus epidemiology have been summarized in this paper. In addition, great attention is focused on the primary sources of the main causative agents of wheat and barley viral diseases, namely Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV), Wheat dwarf virus (WDV), Winter wheat Russian mosaic virus (WWRMV), High Plains wheat mosaic virus (HPWMoV), Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV), and Brome mosaic virus (BMV) as well as the main factors contributing to the spread of these viruses in agrocenoses.