| Enhanced or reduced uptake of viruses by vectors and changes in resistance level can be sensitive indicators for metabolic changes in transgenic plants caused by the new trait and not observed by conventional methods. In addition, the plant transformation process itself can lead to such changes. To be able to investigate this hypothesis in cereals we decided to use two highly important insect-transmitted viruses infecting them - _Barley yellow dwarf virus_ (BYDV) and _Wheat dwarf virus_ (WDV). Corresponding molecular tools for their quantification in plants as well as virus vectors had to be developed. 
Both viruses cause similar symptoms: dwarfing, stunting, leaf discoloration leading to yield losses or death of plant. BYDV... |
