Zucchini Yellow Mosaic Virus
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Zucchini Yellow Mosaic Virus
.jpg) Mosaic diseases of vine crops are caused by at least five different viruses:1) cucumber mosaic virus 2) squash mosaic virus 3) watermelon mosaic virus 4) zucchini yellow mosaic virus 5) papaya ringspot virus-watermelon isolate. Susceptible Plants- All five of these Mosaic viruses can infect all cultivated vine crops (squash, melons, gourds, cucumbers, pumpkins) and under ideal conditions can cause a high rate of crop failure. Symptoms- As the names imply, all five viruses cause a mottling of foliage called mosaic. This is characterized by the presence of intermingled patches of normal and light green or yellowish colored plant tissue. Depending on environmental conditions, mosaic symptoms can range from mild to severe and be visible on both leaves and fruit. The younger the plant when infected, the more severe the symptoms as the plant mature. In some cases, plants infected at the seedling stage may collapse and die.
Plants infected at the flowering stage may not set fruit or young fruits may abort. If plants are more mature when infected they do not show severe mosaic and may still produce marketable fruit. The most dramatic symptoms are often associated with infected fruit. Fruit symptoms can range from subtle color change to severe deformation.
It is not uncommon to have two or more viruses infecting the same plant and in these cases symptoms may be much more severe than if the plant were infected with only one virus. It is nearly impossible to distinguish between any of the five viruses based only on visible symptoms. Prevention and Control- Remove infected plants as soon as symptoms are noticed. Weeds also serve as hosts for aphids that transmit the virus so weed control and removal is important. There is no cure for the zuccchini yellow mosaic virus or any mosaic virus. Green Lacewing Larvae The Organic Gardener''s Handbook of Natural Insect & Disease Control: A Complete, Problem-Solving Guide to Keeping Your Garden & Yard
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