A rising share of the aphids that spread barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) to cereal crops in Britain are carrying the virus, a trend that could mean more crops affected by the disease, Farmers Weekly reports from new data published by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).
BYDV is transmitted by aphids, which infect plants as they feed on the phloem of the leaf. The two key species are the grain aphid and the bird cherry-oat aphid. Each autumn the AHDB publishes the share of aphids carrying the virus, based on tests by Rothamsted Research on more than 1,000 aphid samples caught in a small number of insect suction traps during the main autumn flight. Bird cherry-oat aphids dominate the catches because they fly in far greater numbers in autumn.
Most aphids tested in recent years have not carried the virus: on 2020-24 average data, 22.3% tested positive, which is why the AHDB set 20% as the default in its new BYDV tool. The default is replaced with actual regional values during the autumn.
Recent results point the other way. The average share of aphids carrying BYDV was 34% in autumn 2025 and is 36% so far in 2026. The AHDB says it may need to review the tool's 20% default if the virus keeps tracking above the historic average.
Photo: Jesse Rorabaugh / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
Source: Farmers Weekly
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