Brome mosaic virus (BMV) is a positive-strand RNA virus that infects cereal plants, causing mosaic symptoms and stunting. BMV is the type member of the genus Bromovirus in the family Bromoviridae, which belong to the alphavirus-like superfamily of human, animal, and plant viruses. BMV has been used as a model for studying gene expression, RNA replication, host–virus interactions, recombination, and encapsidation by positive-strand RNA viruses.

Symptoms: Brome mosaic virus (BMV) symptoms are close to those of WSMV. Yellow or white spots and streaks gradually scatter through the leaves, creating a yellowish mosaic pattern at first. The leaves can turn a bright yellow colour very quickly. Plants that have been infected may be slightly stunted and produce shrivelled grain. Young plants have the most noticeable symptoms, which disappear as the plants grow older.

Vectors: In the laboratory, nematodes of the genus Xiphinema have been shown to transmit the virus. Laboratory transmission by aphids and mites has been unsuccessful, but recently the aphid Diuraphis noxia has been reported to transmit the virus.

BMV infects wheat, oats, maize, barley, and rye, as well as other Bromus, Lolium, Phleum, Agropyron, Agrostis, and Poa plants. Maize (Zea mays) seedlings with primary lesions or streaks, accompanied by necrosis and death, are diagnostic species, as are Chenopodium spp. BMV is one of the few grass viruses that can cause localised lesions on C. amaranticolor, C. hybaenifolia, C. hybaenifolia and C. quinoa. BMV has been reported to occur in nature in Finland, South Africa, the central United States, Canada, Russia and the former USSR, and the former Yugoslavia.

Importance: BMV had not been thought to be important or to cause economic loss in cereals, but reports suggest it may be much more widespread than thought and may be damaging in South Africa.

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