Economic impact of Wheat streak mosaic virus in the Texas High Plains

Wheat streak mosaic virus, vectored by the wheat curl mite Aceria tosichella Keifer, is a major limiting factor in wheat production in the Texas Panhandle. It is the most frequently encountered virus in the region, affecting both shoot and root biomass, and consequently it can drastically reduce both forage and grain yield, and water-use efficiency of the plant. In light of the continuing decline of water levels in the Ogallala Aquifer, its effect on water-use efficiency has significant implications for irrigated fields, especially with regard to energy costs for pumping water. This article estimates the potential economic losses from the virus infection. To achieve this objective, partial budgeting techniques, based primarily on data from field experiments, were used. Results indicate that Wheat streak mosaic virus causes grain and forage yield losses that significantly affect profits from wheat production. In addition, irrigated wheat producers are more negatively affected by the disease due to the economic losses from reduced water-use efficiency of infected plants. The economic insights from this article provide important implications for wheat management and research priority-setting.