CMV – Cucumber Mosaic Virus
Type: Virus - Potyvirus
Cucumber Mosaic Virus is a world-wide virus disease that affects the growth of cantaloupes & melons, cucumbers, eggplants, gourds, peppers, pumpkins, spinach, squash, tomatoes, and watermelons. Symptoms include stunted or dwarfed plants, mottling, yellowing, distortion, and wrinkling of the leaves with the edges curling downward, and reduced growth rate and yields. The symptoms on leaves known as "shoestring" effect causes young leaves to appear narrow. The leaves will die and fall off, leaving part or most of the plant bare. The virus causes cucumbers to turn pale and gray, become bumpy and oddly shaped, and have a bitter taste. The virus causes peppers to have severe leaf damage with mosaic and necrotic rings. The peppers may have rings and spots. Tomato plants are usually stunted and have poorly shaped leaves and can cause partial or total crop loss. Plants infected with the virus have little or no marketable fruit. The virus can reduce yields and fruit quality. It is spread by aphids, seeds, and weeds. The virus overwinters in many perennial weeds. The infected plants should be removed to avoid further infestation. This virus cannot live in extremely dry conditions. The disease is favorable when temperatures are 79-89 F when aphid infestation is great. Symptoms usually begin to show in June. Plan on using a 3 year crop rotation and avoid planting in the same location, year after year. Keep the fields weed free as infected perennials can harbor the virus. Proper tillage practices may be helpful in managing the disease. Insecticides for aphids are of limited value to control the disease. Spraying the tomato plants with mineral oil can delay the aphids from spreading the virus.The best option is to use disease resistant varieties.
TMV – Tobacco Mosaic Virus
Type: Virus - Potyvirus
Tobacco Mosaic Virus is a world-wide virus disease that affects the growth of eggplants, peppers, and tomatoes. Tobacco mosaic virus may cause significant losses in the field and in the greenhouse. The virus does not usually kill the plant, but it does cause damage to flowers, leaves, and the tomato. Symptoms include stunted or dwarfed plants, yellow-green mottling, blistering of the leaves, a light-green and dark-green mosaic pattern on the leaves, leaf distortion and curling of the leaves, fernleafing, and reduced growth rate and yields. Blooms may have brown streaks. Pepper plants may have yellow spotting on the leaves. Slightly sunken brown rings will appear on tomatoes. The virus is spread primarily by mechanical methods. The virus is not spread by aphids. Smokers can infect plants by handling them. Gardeners contaminate the plants when they touch tobacco products or infected plants or weeds and spread the virus to healthy plants. The virus can stay alive in dead plant material for long periods of time. It can survive on infected seeds, plant debris, and even clothing for months or years. Tobacco mosaic is one of the most highly persistent tomato diseases because it can remain viable for many years and is able to withstand high heat. The virus can survive for up to 50 years in dried plant debris. The infected plants should be removed and buried or burned to avoid further infestation. Plan on using a 3 year crop rotation and avoid planting in the same location, year after year. Keep your garden weed free. Wash your hands thoroughly and disinfect tools. Try to avoid smoking while working in the garden. Spraying plants with 20 percent nonfat dry milk has been shown to be somewhat effective in preventing the spread of the virus. The best option is to use disease resistant varieties.