Ecology of Yellow Dwarf Viruses in Crops and Grasslands: Interactions in the Context of Climate Change

Abstract

Our understanding of the ecological interactions between plant viruses, their insect vectors, and their host plants has increased rapidly over the past decade. The suite of viruses known collectively as the yellow dwarf viruses infect an extensive range of cultivated and noncultivated grasses worldwide and is one of the best-studied plant virus systems. The yellow dwarf viruses are ubiquitous in cereal crops, where they can significantly limit yields, and there is growing recognition that they are also ubiquitous in grassland ecosystems, where they can influence community dynamics. Here, we discuss recent research that has explored ( a) the extent and impact of yellow dwarf viruses in a diversity of plant communities, ( b) the role of vector behavior in virus transmission, and ( c) the prospects for impacts of climate change—including rising temperatures, drought, and elevated CO2—on the epidemiology of yellow dwarf viruses.