What are mosaic viruses? This virus infects more than 150 types of plants, including many fruits, vegetables, and flowers. It is characterized by leaves mottled with yellow, white, and light and dark green spots or streaks. Some of the most commonly infected plants include tomatoes, potatoes, squash, and cucumbers.
How to Identify Mosaic Viruses
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.
How to Control Mosaic Viruses
Once plants are infected, there are no controls. Remove all the infected plants and destroy them.
Prevention
- Plant resistant plants when available in your garden.
- 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.
- Control your weeds. Some types may serve as hosts for the disease.
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Comments
i have the problem with my
- reply
By phearen on May 22
i have the problem with my eggplant because of mosaic virus! the eggplants which is covered by plastic mulch and equipped with drum drip irrigation are infected by the Mosaic virus and Aphids. Is there any correlated between plastic mulch and Mosaic virus?
We do not know of a
- reply
By Almanac Staff on May 25
We do not know of a correlation. Eggplants respond favorably to being grown on plastic mulch with drip irrigation. According to our extension office, "Winged aphids are repelled by silver- or aluminum-colored mulches. If there is a probability of severe virus pressure, place reflective polyethylene mulches on planting beds before seeding or transplanting to significantly reduce rate of colonization by winged aphids and delay the buildup of damaging numbers of aphids by 4 to 6 weeks. While this approach is mainly effective in delaying or reducing the incidence of virus diseases transmitted by winged aphids and whiteflies, reflective mulches can also delay the buildup of wingless aphids that arise as a result of colonization by winged individuals. The mulches lose their effectiveness when more than 60% of the surface is covered by foliage or if the mulch becomes fouled with dust or soil. Therefore, they are effective only for the first few weeks after transplanting."
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