The virus and aphids also carry over the summer in volunteer cereals and weedy grasses, and cause fall infection of winter wheat. Damaging outbreaks of barley yellow dwarf are most likely in cool moist seasons that favor grass and cereal growth as well as aphid reproduction and migration. A driving rain may spread aphids, but also will reduce aphid populations. Barley yellow dwarf virus is specialized in its relationship with the aphid carriers and is not transmissible through seed, plant sap, or by other insects. Control Early planted winter wheat and winter barley, late planted spring oats, and spring barley are the most susceptible to infection.
Younger plants are more attractive to aphids than older plants.
Planting winter cereals should be delayed until aphid populations decline to minimize barley yellow dwarf outbreaks. Proper seeding date allows the plants to develop when aphid populations are lowest. Although early seeding of spring cereals does not give full protection against barley yellow dwarf, it allows plants time to develop past the seedling stage before they might become infected. This delay significantly reduces damage to the crop. Optimum seeding dates for winter wheat and winter barley and spring oats and spring barley are well established for the various growing areas of Nebraska.