DISSECTING EFFECTS OF INSECT-TRANSMITTED VIRUSES ON YIELD AND QUALITY OF FORAGE ALFALFA CROPS

The major goals of the projectare to further characterize the distribution and prevalence of AMV, BLRV, and SRAV in Idaho and Oregon alfalfa fields, determine if and how virus infection affects forage yield and quality, and determine the possible role of insect vectors in transmission of SRAV between alfalfa plants.Objectives:1. Characterize distribution and prevalence of viruses in commercial alfalfa fields in Idaho and Oregon, including the novel alfalfa virus, SRAV2. Evaluate effects of virus infection on alfalfa yield by comparing yield, quality, and virus prevalence (SRAV, AMV, and BLRV) in insecticide-treated versus check plots3. Determine role of insect vectors in SRAV transmission by conducting transmission experiments under controlled greenhouse conditions4. Disseminate results to stakeholders via extension programming that includes field days, workshops, print, and web resources