How to Identify, Control, and Prevent Mosaic Viruses

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Learn About the Various Types of Mosaic Viruses

Catherine Boeckmann
Pest Type
Plant Diseases
Plants Affected
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Ever looked at your beautiful vegetables or flowers and noticed strange splotches or stunted growth? The culprit might be a mosaic virus!  These nasty plant diseases can infect various greenery, but fear not!  This guide will equip you with the knowledge to identify, control, and prevent mosaic viruses, keeping your garden thriving!

What Are Mosaic Viruses?

Mosaic viruses affect more than 150 types of plants, including many fruits, vegetables, and flowers. The disease is characterized by leaves mottled with yellow, white, and light or dark green spots and streaks (in other words, a “mosaic” of these colors). Some of the most commonly infected plants include tomatoes, squashes, cauliflower, and cucumbers, but many more are susceptible.

Types of Mosaic Viruses

There are many mosaic viruses that commonly affect plants in the vegetable garden, including:

  • Bean Common Mosaic Virus (BCMV) and Bean Yellow Mosaic Virus (BYMV) are the primary mosaic viruses that affect beans of all types. Aphids typically spread them, but BCMV is also seed-borne, so do not save seeds from infected plants. 
  • Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV) is one of the most common mosaic viruses and tends to be spread by aphids. As can be inferred from its name, cucumber mosaic virus often affects cucumbers, but it is also a common problem for many other garden plants, including other cucurbits (melons, squashes), nightshades (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, potatoes), and leafy greens (lettuce, spinach).
  • Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV) spreads through seeds and direct contact, and the best way to avoid it is to grow resistant varieties. 
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Identification

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 “shoestring syndrome,” 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.
cucumber mosaic virus on spinach leaves
Cucumber mosaic virus causes severe damage and discoloration to a spinach plant.
Photo Credit: University of California. 
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Control and Prevention

How to Control Mosaic Viruses

Once plants are infected, there is no cure for mosaic viruses. Because of this, prevention is key! However, if plants in your garden do show symptoms of having mosaic viruses, here’s how to minimize the damage:

  • Remove all infected plants and destroy them. Do NOT put them in the compost pile, as the virus may persist in infected plant matter. Burn infected plants or throw them out with the garbage.
  • Monitor the rest of your plants closely, especially those that are located near infected plants.
  • Disinfect gardening tools after every use. Keep a bottle of a weak bleach solution or other antiviral disinfectant to wipe your tools down with.

How to Prevent Mosaic Viruses

  • Plant virus-resistant varieties in your garden. Resistant varieties of tomatoes have yet to be developed for cucumber mosaic virus, but tomatoes that are resistant to tobacco mosaic virus may have some slight resistance to cucumber mosaic virus as well.
  • Mosaic viruses are mostly spread by insects, especially aphids and leafhoppers. You can try covering your plants with a floating row cover, or aluminum foil mulches to prevent these insects from infecting your plants. Look at our other tips for controlling aphids.
  • Control your weeds. Some types may serve as hosts for the disease, and when aphids and other insects feed on these plants, they will spread the viruses to your garden plants.
  • To avoid seed-borne mosaic viruses, soak the seeds of susceptible plants in a 10% bleach solution before planting.
Plant Disease
About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s found each other. She leads digital content for the website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann
 

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Comments

fortue uninive… (not verified)

6 years 7 months ago

Please can you outline the effects of tobbacco mosaic virus on tomato plant within 14 days of innoculation

Jannie (not verified)

6 years 8 months ago

Hello!
Last year, my tomato and cucumber plants had the mosaic virus. I'm moving the veggies to another spot this year, but is the soil safe for planting trees? I'm thinking fruiting trees, or a magnolia or a crepe myrtle? Would the mosaic virus spread to fruit?
Thank you!

There are several different types of mosaic viruses, and without knowing which one affected your veggies, it’s impossible to tell what type of plants the virus might infect in the future. Generally, they have a wide range of host plants, so it’s likely that the virus would persist in whatever you plant next. Therefore, we would recommend avoiding planting anything in that spot for the time being. Clear out the patch of all plant matter (including roots) and burn it, if possible (do NOT put it in your compost pile). Let the plot sit empty for at least a year (two is better), and then try planting again. You may want to look into buying mosaic-virus–resistant vegetable varieties for an extra layer of protection.

Jen Hill (not verified)

7 years 3 months ago

So my zucchini and pumpkin has mosaic disease. I took them out of the garden. My questions are how long can the virus live in the dirt? When would it be safe to plant susceptible plants in that row of dirt again? And also what are some veggies if any that I can plant in there now to get a fall harvest? Or good ones to plant in that dirt next spring?

Sorry to hear the news. The mosaic virus can overwinter in the roots of perennial weeds, flowers, and some crops plants. It grows with the plant in the spring, appearing in the upper leaves. However, it can not live in extremely dry conditions. As for planting now, avoid plants varieties that are susceptible to the cucumber mosaic virus; grow resistant cultivars and use resistant seeds. Consider using row covers to prevent aphids from reaching plants in the first place (aphids bring on CMV). This page from the Tennessee cooperative extension service provides a list of vegetables and varieties and resistance: https://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/documents/SP277-K.pdf

You might get more information from your local cooperative extension service. Search for your state here and find the resources: /content/cooperative-extension-services

Cathy Lightly (not verified)

7 years 4 months ago

Would parsley and raspberries be susceptible to the mosaic virus? I see some new growth that is spindly with twisted stunted leaves. Would pruning out infected growth on the raspberries help control? Thanks for your reply in advance.

Yes, mosaic viruses can affect both raspberries and celery. Cutting out infected material can slow the virus’ spread to adjacent plants, but it will not cure the infected plant. Unfortunately, once a plant has contracted a mosaic virus, it will always be infected. 

Morgan (not verified)

7 years 4 months ago

i have a container garden inside of a screened enclosure and I know my cucumber plant has the CMV. Would the aphids have been able to get to the plant inside the screen, or were they already on the plant when I bought it? The plant still grows and the new growth stays nice for a few days but eventually the leaves get the same pattern and the small yellow flowers wilt and die off. Im guessing this will continue so my only option is to rid of the entire plant?

Sad to say, there is no cure, no fix. As for the origin, it could have been aphids already in the plant or the plant could have been infected before you purchased it by the people who handled it or their tools.

Roland (not verified)

8 years 3 months ago

My infected tomatoes and peppers (mosaic virus) are all grown in pots, and irrigated via drip irrigation.
1. Am I correct in assuming that, since my tools need disinfection (my hands!), that I will have to toss out my SOIL and disinfect or replace my irrigation lines and drips? Will soap and water suffice for the pots and drips?
2. My herbs (basil and mint) grew side-by-side with my tomatoes and peppers. Should I be treating them the same? I'm assuming so (but don't know), because I don't think that aphids, etc., are non-migratory...

Thanks!
Roland