Learn About the Various Types of Mosaic Viruses
How to Identify Mosaic Viruses and Damage
Viral diseases are difficult to identify because symptoms vary from plant to plant and may also vary depending on the age of the plant and its growing conditions. However, the most common ways of identifying mosaic viruses are listed below.
- The leaves are mottled with yellow, white, and light and dark green spots, which appear to be elevated. This gives the leaves a blister-like appearance.
- Plants are often stunted, or they grow poorly.
- Plants may have other deformities, and their leaves may be crinkled or wavy.
- Cucumber mosaic virus: Infected plants are stunted and often exhibit 鈥渟hoestring syndrome,鈥 a characteristic malformation in which the edges of the leaves fail to develop, with the leaf veins developing as long, narrow strips. Tomatoes are small and misshapen.
- Tobacco mosaic virus: Infected plants have mottled, yellowed leaves and twisted or deformed young growth.
Photo Credit: University of California.
Catherine Boeckmann
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My squash and zucinni and eggplants are growing well with many flowers. However, they are not producing fruits. I notice particularly on the egg plant that the leaves have many hole (no indication of worms or insects on the leaves) and a number of stems appear to have been cut off and removed. The plants are about 4 weeks old, and were transplanted into newly tilled soil with a lot of worms in the soil and added garden soil. They were fed just this past week. Also my tomatoes appear to be growing too fast and are spliting. We have had some periods of 2" or greater rains and then several week of no rain. I am watering with a soaker hose about a half hour twice a day when not raining. Any suggestions?
thanks
After reading many comments I need to ask this question to be sure if I am reading right. Can mosaic virus spread to other crops? Another words, if my cucumber plant is affected and I have pepper plants near the cucumbers, it can spread to the peppers? Please respond.
Hi Alex,
Yes, the virus can spread to your peppers. Insects spread the virus as they move from plant to plant. If your cucumber plants have the virus you should remove and destroy them. Controlling the insect pests in your garden is the best preventive control of mosaic virus.
My landlord lets me help in the garden and share the harvest. I smoke, but never until the evening when I read. He is scared that I will infect his plants. I assured him I bathe before I go out into the world and I never handle tobacco until the evening, in private,. Is this enough?
I planted my spring garden approximately four weeks ago (five 4x8 raised beds0. Everything looked great but I noticed some mosaic yellow splotches on my zucchini last week. Now after a week it has spread to everything including tomatoes, cucumbers, and melons. The plants look healthy with only a few leaves around the bottom with the yellow. If I keep removing the mosaic leaves is there a chance to stay on top of it? Or since it is early in the year should I bag it and start all over again? I have placed white fly strips and have used some spinosed with some other aphid controls. Is it too late?
It's best to remove and destroy the plants. They will not produce well and any fruit will taste bitter.
My hydrangia bush, camellia tree and geranium seem all infected by mozaik virus and I need to cut them first in order to get rid of them. I heard that we need to clean the clipper after cutting the virus infected plants. How should I clean them? Just using water is good enough or any special soap to use?
Dear Staff,
I was growing beans in pots outside on a roof. They became infected with mosaic virus so I uprooted them and threw them away. What crop or flowering plant that is resistant to the virus can I replant in that same soil?
Mosaic virus is on the of the most common afflictions of crops. It is transmitted by insects.
Change the soil. Start fresh.
Mosaic virus spreads most commonly from contaminated hands and tools. Place tools in boiling water for 5 minutes and then with wash with a strong detergent. (A dip in bleach is not an effective decontamination.) Wash your containers, too.
After handling contaminiated materials, always wash hands before handling healthy plants.
For better results, plant resistant varieties. And rotate your crops, even in containers.
My cucumber plants were doing great until about 2 weeks ago, the leaves started dying off. Progressively got worse, now just about all of the leaves are white or dead. The vines look ok and the cucumbers that were started are still growing, slowly. First year and I was told to water at night, now I have learned to water in the am and to avoid the leaves. Did I kill the plant by watering at night and soaking the leaves? Or do they have a virus, my beans are next to the cucs but they are growing like crazy. I'm in CT so I think it's too late to try again. I'm wondering if I should not grow in the same area as these plants next year- it's a raised bed.
