tobacco mosaic virus aka (tomato mosaic)

Question 1

what is the damage caused and to what?

Answer 1

seedlings have a stunted/spikey appearance

disease causes losses in Solanaceae family

mature plants show leaves with a mottles green or bright yellow appearance.

stem shows brown streaks in summer if poor growing conditions.

low fruit yield, poor quality.

Question 2

what does the damaged fruit look like?

Answer 2

yellow and bronzed

the ripe fruit will be hard so it’s inedible.

Question 3

how does the virus spread?

Answer 3

it can enter plant leaves through microscopic wounds or via the broken bases of de-leafed side shoots.

virus can survive within the seed coat

human fingers can spread it as its present in large numbers in leaf hairs of infected plants.

Question 4

what are control methods for tobacco mosaic virus?

Answer 4

heat treatment of dry seeds, 70’c for 4 days to remove infection.

grow in grow bags-so roots don’t pick up infection from soil from previous crops

sterilize tools/clothes and hands

use stronger cultivars and rootstocks eg ‘Shirley’