Viral Diseases in Plants

Booklet No. 303 Plant Disease Control: PDCS - 3

Contents Preface I. Introduction II. Diseases of Cereal Crops III. Diseases of Leguminous Crops IV. Diseases of Sugar Crops V. Diseases of Solanaceous Crops VI. Diseases of Fruit Crops VII. Diseases of Vegetable Crops VIII. Diseases of Oilseed Crops IX. Conclusion Preface Plant diseases cause a huge loss to our crops. These diseases are mainly caused by fungi, bacteria and virus. Viral diseases are the most intractable disease since there is almost no chemical control measures against them, and only preventive measures can be adopted. Here most important viral diseases of cereals, legumes, sugar crops, solanaceous crops, fruit crops, vegetable and oil seed crops are described in detail. Dr. K. T. Chandy, Agricultural & Environmental Education I. Introduction Diseases is an alteration in one or more of the ordered sequentials series of physiological processes culminating in a loss of coordination of energy utilization in a plant as a result of the continuous irritation from the presence or absence of some factor or agent. Virus is an infectious agent often causing disease, invisible with light microscope, small enough to pass through a bacterial filter lacking a metabolism of its own and depending on a living host cell for multiplication. There is a general opinion that the virus is a unique entity which is neither living nor nonliving but a macromolecule on the threshold of life. The mature particle of a plant virus is generally called virion but the precise term for the whole infective particle is nucleocapsid. Virus produces visible or otherwise detectable abnormalities in plants which are recognized as symptoms. Mostly viruses cause systemic infection i.e. the virus spreads through the host. Transmission of viruses by vectors including arthropods is an important part of virus study. No description of a virus is complete without information on the virus-vector relationship. Viruses are mostly transmitted by aphids, leafhoppers and white flies. Beetles and thrips as insect -vectors also transmit some viruses. II. Diseases of Cereal Crops Tungro virus and stripe mossaic of barley are the important viral diseases.

A. Tungro virus Tungro virus is the most serious problem in India particularly in eastern India. This is one of the most important diseases of rice. Symptoms The virus in rice is transmitted by both nymphs, male and female adults of Nephotesp impictceps. The, infected plants of suceptible varieties are stunted, the leaves become yellow and tillering is slightly reduced. Stunting is caused by shortening of the leaf sheath, leaf blade and internodes. Yellowing starts from leaves tip. The young leaves of viral affected plant are usually mottled with pale green to whitish, spots. Root development is poor, panicle is small and sterile. Grains are covered with dark -brown blotch. Control Following are some of the measures for controlling this disease. i. The seedling should be dipped in Carbofuran 75% @ 25 -30 g in 10 litres of water. ii. Leaf yellowing can be minimized by spraying 0.2% Zineb mixed with 3% urea solution. About 500 600 litres of solution is needed for one hectare. iii. Growing of resistant varieties like Vijaya, RP 4 -14, IET-2507, laya and IR -20. iv. Spray Thimet to reduce insect -vector population. v. Rogue out diseased plants. vi. Treat the seed with Furdan 75% WP @ 1.3gi 100 g of seed. B. Stripe mosaic of barley This is one of the common disease of barley. Symptoms Strip mosaic virus infects barley crop. Specially the leaves are infected more severely. Mosaic mottling of leaves occurs which is also sometimes associated with flecking. Control i. Use virus -free seeds. ii. Rogue out diseased or infected plants. iii. Grow resistant barley varieties like Rojo Hansen and CL -3208 -4 III. Diseases of Leguminous Crops Legumes. are affected by yellow mosaic virus disease very seriously. A. Yellow mosaic of legumes Yellow mosaic disease is the most destructive disease of kharif legumes (urd and mung) in India. The disease is caused by mungbean yellow mosaic virus (geminiviruses group). Symptoms This diseases is neither sap nor seed or soil transmitted. Bemifia tabacci (white fly) is the only known vector. Female adults are more efficient vectors than males. The diseased plants start appearing in the field when the crop is about a month old. Two types of symptoms are observed. The yellow mosaic in the form of yellow mottle is more common and aggressive symptom on mung and suceptible varieties of urd. Necrotic mottle symptoms of the diseases depict a resistant reaction of the host and are observed on tolerant urd varieties, rarely on mung varieties.

The first visible sign is the appearance of yellow spots scattered on lamina surface, which are mostly round in shape. Completely yellow leaves gradually change to whitish shade and ultimately become necrotic. Virus is systemic in plants and new leaves show sign of mottling from the beginning. Number and size of pods are greatly reduced. The pods are deformed and contain shriveled, undersized seeds. Control i. Grow resistant varieties of urd like 79, UPC 1, Pant 19, Pant 26, Pant 30, Pant 35, and moong varieties like Pant 1,2,3, T 1 and T 44. ii. Vector can be controlled by spraying Metasystox (0.1 %) at 10 -15 days interval. iii. Grow barrier crops like pearl millet, sorghum or maize, in the windward direction which checks the incidence. IV. Diseases of Sugar Crops Sugarcane is very much prone to viral attacks. Some important viral diseases are discussed here. A. Mosaic disease of sugarcane The mosaic disease of sugarcane was first recognized around 1892 in Java. In India it was first noticed at Pusa in I 1921. The virus responsible for this disease is sugarcane mosaic virus or Sauharum virus. Symptoms The virus is transmitted from one plant to another by at least seven species of aphids such as Dactynotus ambrosiac, Hysteroneurea setariae, Rhopalosiphum maidis, Toxoptera graminum, R. maidis and Shizaphis graminum. The first symptoms of this disease appear about six weeks after planting. The leaves of the diseased cane show a characteristic mottling of chlorotic or light coloured, elongated, more or less irregular stripes or streaks, surrounded by areas with normal green colour. The youngest unfolded leaves show the mottling very clearly while the symptoms are not very clear on older leaves. Mottling of stems also occurs which may lead to death of cells resulting in formation of cankers. Control i. Use healthy sets for seed. ii. Heat therapy (hot water or hot air) is effective against certain strains. iii. Rogue out infected canes. iv. Eliminate grass hosts nearby. v. Use resistant varieties. B. Ratoon stunting virus and grassy shoot virus Ratoon stunting virus disease is prevalent and widespread in Deccan area of the country. In India it has been reported from Ahmednagar, Poona, Nasik, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Symptoms The disease is readily transmitted by sap inoculation and cane cutting knife. It is also tranmitted by three aphid species like Longiunguis sacchari Aphis idiosacchari and Aphis maidis.

Control i. Eradicate diseased stools. ii. Stop ratooning for at least three years. iii. Heat therapy is effective before planting the sets i.e. heat the sets at 50 oC for two hours or expose to hot air at 54o C for 8 hours in specially designed chamber. iv. Spray Metasystox or Folidol to control aphids. V. Diseases of Solanaceous crops Tuber crops are also affected by virus. Some Important viral diseases are mentioned here. A. Leaf roll of potato In India leaf roll of potato or phloem necrosis was reported from Punjab in 1930. It is probably the principal cause of potato degeneration. The reduction in yield is about 25 75 per cent. This disease is caused by Potato virus I, solanum virus , 14 and corium solani. It can only be transmitted by stem, grafting and by aphid Myzus persicae. Symptoms Plants affected by this disease have thick and leathery leaves which also develop pronounced rolling. The young leaves become pale-green on the upper side and pinkish on the lower. The whole plant is very harsh to touch and rattles when shaken. Tubers grown on such plants show a network of necrosis called 'net-necrosis which is confined to the phloem strands. Control i. Rogue out diseased plants. ii. Certified leaf roll -free seed should be used for planting. iii. At planting granular systemic insecticide such as Disulfoton (8 kg/ha) or Thimet (15 kgiha) should be used. iv. Potato tubers selected for seed may be kept in a humid atmosphere at 35.5C for at least 25 days. B. Potato mild mosaic virus Potato mild mosaic virus or potato virus X disease is one of the most widespread of all the potato mosaic viruses. This virus is most frequently found in naturally infected potatoes. Few commercial potato-stocks of different varieties in the country are free from it. This disease is caused by potato latent virus, potato mottle virus, potato virus x or solanum virus I. This virus is easily transmitted by sap inoculation. Transmission is also by core grafting and dodder (Cuscuta compestris). No insect vector is known. Symptoms When infected potato varieties show an interveinal mottling with scanty dwarfing of the plant, or deformation of the foliage. Several potato varieties carry the virus without symptoms. Control i. Healthy seed should only be used. ii. Diseased plants should be removed.

iii. The crop should be sprayed with Metasystox (200ml/ha) against aphid population. C. Rugose mosaic of potato or Potato severmosaic virus Rugose mosaic disease or potato sever mosaic virus is caused very severe damage to individual plants. The disease is caused by combination of two viruses: potato virus X and potato virus Y. The viruses are transmitted readily in juice by the mechanical methods of transmission, and aphids like Myzus persicae . Symptoms Infected potato plants show a blotchy mottle on the underside of younger leaves. This necrosis increases in severity, spreads along the veins deep into the leaf tissues, passes down the petiole, and reaches the main stem, producing there on brown longitudinal lesions. The internodes are short, and the leaves are generally mottled, twisted and bunched together. Control i. Use disease- free certified seed. ii. Rogue out diseased plants in the early stages. iii. Spray Metasystox (200 ml/ha) against aphid population. iv. Apply disulfoton or Thimet in the furrow at planting. D. Mosaic disease of tobacco Tobacco mosaic disease is prevalent wherever tobacco is grown in the country. It is caused by Nicotiana virus 1. This virus is readily transmitted by juice inoculation and through contact in field. Symptoms The plants show a distinct mosaic mottling, some from distortion of leaves, stunting and retardation of growth. Occasionally large blisters of green tissue and raised or sunken discoloured areas may also develop. Control Since the virus is not apparently transmitted by any insect, the control of the mosaic disease depends largely on careful crop husbandry. i. Grow resistant varieties. ii. Rogue out diseased plants. iii. Weed the field thoroughly. iv. Care should be taken during handling the diseased plant. v. Spray 1%. tannic acid in the early stages to check the disease. E. Leaf-curl disease of tobacco Leaf-curl disease is most common in Gangetic plain of Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat and parts of Maharashtra. This virus is generally transmitted by the activity of white fly i.e. Bemisia tabaci. Symptoms The diseased plants are stunted with leaves twisted and curled. The leaf veins are thickened, and large leafy venations are produced on the lower surface of leaves. The leaves then become coarse, thickened and puckered and cannot be satisfactorily flue-cured. Control 1. Eradicate diseased plants. ii. Plants in seedbed should be sprayed with Parathion at 15 days interval.

iii. Observing a closed period of two months during which the weed hosts of the whitefly and the virus should be destroyed. VI. Diseases of Fruit Crops The major viral disease affecting fruit crops are apple mosaic, bunchy top disease of banana, mosaic of banana, decline disease of sweet orange, mosaic disease of papaya and leaf curl disease of papaya. A. Apple mosaic Apple mosaic disease is widespread in Kumaon region of Uttar Pradesh, Simla hills and other regions where apple is grown in the country. This disease can be transmitted by grafting. No insect -vector is known. Symptoms One of the common symptoms is yellow vein banding pattern.Young leaves show, small irregular creamy or yellow spots which are conspicuous against the dark green colour of normal leaf tissue. Also chlorotic bands develop along veins forming the vein banding pattern. No symptoms of this disease on fruits have been observed. Control i. Remove infected stools from nursery beds. ii. Spray nursery stock against sucking insects. B. Bunchy top disease of banana Bunchy top disease of banana was first observed in Bengal in the year 1925. It is very much prevalent in Kerala, Bengal, Assam, Orissa, and Maharashtra. It is caused by banana virus I and Musa virus I. The virus is generally transmitted by the insect-vector Pentalonia nigronervosa . Symptoms The very first external symptom of this disease is that, plants appear as irregular, nodular, dark-green to brown streaks along the secondary veins with chlorotic streaks on the underside of the lower portion of midrib. Badly affected plants are stunted. All leaves are reduced both in width and length, and stand erect and bunched together at the apex of the plant to form a rosette, a condition typical of the bunchy top disease. Control i. Diseased plants should be thoroughly destroyed. ii. Spray power kerosene or Parathion to control banana aphid. iii. Select planting material from certified bunchy-top-free banana plantation for new areas. C. Mosaic or chlorosis of banana Mosaic banana disease is prevalent in Maharashtra and Gujarat. The virus causing banana mosaic is sap-transmissible from banana to cucumber and cucumber to cucumber, but not from banana to banana by sap inoculation. The insect-vector is Aphis gossypii. Control i. Grow resistant varieties. ii. Dry heat treatment at 400 C for one day is useful in curing infected rhizomes. iii. Eradicate diseased plants.

D. "Decline" disease of sweet orange Decline disease of sweet orange disease ortristeza virus is widespread in central and peninsular India. It is also prevalent in Punjab, Rajasthan and Assam. Transmission The virus is transmitted by the insect vector oriental citrus aphid ( Toxoptera citricidus) and melon aphid (Aphis gossypil). Symptoms Infected plants show partial chlorosis. The plants show symptoms of twig decline, leaf fall, heavy flowering or bearing of fruits which take colour even when immature, leaf rolling, sudden collapse slow decline. Control i. Spray Metasystox to control aphid in nursery. ii. Interstate quarantine as well as ban on the movement of unlicensed planting material within the state should be strictly imposed. iii. Diseased and unproductive trees should be cut down. iv. Use disease free budwood. E. Mosaic disease of papaya Mosaic disease of papaya was first reported in India in 1947. It is prevalent in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. The disease is caused by Papaya Mosaic virus. This virus is spread by several species of aphids, like Myzus persicae, Aphis gossypii Aphis malvae, Aphis medicaginis, Aphis craccivora, and Macrosiphum sonchi. Symptoms The initial symptoms vary according to age of plant, condition of infection, season etc. Leaves show profuse mottling and puckering, chlorotic and malformed appearance, and often modification into tendril like structure. There is increase in number of lobes in a leaf. The leaves are reduced in size. The old leaves gets defoliated leaving a tuft of small ones at the top. The Infected plants bear a few fruits which remain abnormally small. Plants also show reduction in growth. It also affects photosynthetic activity of the leaf. Control i. Diseased seedlings should be rogued out. ii. Groundnut oil (1 %) inhibits the vector transmission up to 3 days. iii. Destroy disease affected plants. F. Leaf-curl disease of papaya Leaf curl disease is found in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. The disease is caused by Tobacco virus 16 or Nicotiana virus 10. The virus is readily transmitted by grafting or juice inoculation. The most important insect-vector is the white fly (Bemzsza tabacz).

Symptoms The infected plants show a severe curling, crinkling and distortion of leaves, reduction of petioles, internodes and also main shoots. Leaves become dark-green, leathery and little. Plants fail to flower and sometimes bear few fruits. Control i. Uproot the plants in early stage of disease development. ii. Do not grow collateral host like tomato, tobacco, etc. near papaya. iii. Spray 0.1 % Malathion or Metasystox to control insect- vector. VII. Diseases of Vegetable Crops The viral diseases vegetables are mosaic disease of brinjal, leaf curl of chilli, chilli mosaic, green mosaic disease of cucurbits, yellow mosaic in pumpkin and Okra and leaf curl in tomato. A. Mosaic disease of brinjal Mosaic disease of brinjal has been reported in Peninsular India and is caused by at least five different viruses occurring either individually or in combination with one another. The mosaic viruses are all sap-transmissible. Some of the insect-vector which transmit the disease are, Aphis gossypii, A malvae, and Myzus persicae. Symptoms Field infected brinjal shows a pronounced mosaic mottling of younger leaves, which are visible clearly against transmitted light. Leaves of diseased plants are reduced in size and occasionally malfomed. Affected plants, are dark green and dwarfed and they do not bear fruits as much as healthy ones. The flowers show colour-break in petals. Control i. destroy all the weeds and old infected brinjal plants. ii. Spray the seedbed with metasystox at 10-days intervals. iii. Rogue out mosaic affected plants. B. Leaf curl of chilli Leaf curl of chilli is common in Peninsular India, West Bengal and Rajasthan. Occasionally this disease is caused by vicotiana virus 10. The virus is transmitted by the insect vector Bemisia tabaci. Symptoms Infected plants show severe reduction in leaf size, curling of leaves and extreme dwarfing of plants. The leaves turn paler and become pubescent. Control i. Rogue out diseased plants. ii. Spray Parathion or Diazinon to control white fly. C. Chilli mosaic Chilli mosaic disease is a commonly occurring ailment of the chilli crop all over the country.

This virus is transmissible by contaminated hands, implements and contact. The insectvector responsible for transmission is Aphis gossypii, A.euouymi and Myzus persicae. Symptoms The symptoms are characterised by distortion of leaves with puckering, blistring and pronounced mottling. The leaves are often reduced in size and become filiform. Flowers and truits may not form in cases of early infection, or may remain small and distorted. Control i. Disinfect hand and implements before cultural operation in a 0.1 molar solution of trisodium phosphate and soap for 5 minutes. ii. Spray suitable insecticide for aphid control. iii. Grow resistant varieties like pisi Red, Puri orange, G 2 or Kondiverum. iv. Clean crop husbandry D. Green mosiac disease of cucurbits Cucurbits are commonly cultivated throughout the country and as the source of the most popular vegetables. Of these cucumber, bottle-gourd, snake-gourd, pumpkin, squash, and water melon suffer from green mosaic disease. The disease is easily transmitted in juice by the mechanical methods of inoculation, and through the seed of melon. No insect -vector is yet been determined. Symptoms The diseased plants develop a well-marked light or dark- green mottle, together with blistering and distortion of the leaves and stunting of the plant. The fruits, especially of cucumber and bottle gourd, are often mottled and malformed. Control i. Use clean seed for sowing. ii. Disinfect hands and implements for 5 minutes in a 0.1 molar solution of trisodium phosphate and soap. iii. The young plant may be sprayed with Parathion or Malathion to reduce aphid population. iv. Remove weeds around the crops. E. Yellow vein mosaic disease of pumpkin Yellow mosaic disease is widespread in cucurbit growing areas especially pumpkin and squashes. The disease causing virus is transmitted by insect-vector Bemisia tabaci (white fly) Symptoms The young developing leaves of infected pumpkin plants show a faint vein yellowing. In subsequent leaves the intensity of vein yellowing increases gradually till the characteristic symptoms of vein-yellowing and yellow patches develop in leaves. Control i. Spray Parathion at 10 days interval. ii. Rogue out infected plants. iii. Keep the surroundings clear of weeds.

F. Yellow vein mosaic of okra Yellow vein mosaic disease of okra is a serious problem wherever this crop is grown in India. When the infection is early the entire crop is destroyed. The virus responsible for this disease is Hibiscus virus I. Virus is transmitted by the insect-vector Bemisia tabaci. Symptoms The main symptoms of yellow vein mosaic are vein. clearing and veinal chlorosis of leaves. The yellow network of veins is very conspicuous an the veins and veinlets are thickened. In severe cases the chlorosis may extend to the interveinal areas and may result in complete yellowing of the leaf. Fruits are dwarfed, malformed, and yellowish green in colour. Control i. Rogue out diseased plants in early stages of crop growth. ii. Spray tolidol (0.3%) to control whitefly and other insect-vector. iii. Grow resistant variety like Pusa Sawani. G. Leaf curl disease of tomato The leaf-curl disease is widespread in the country and is a serious menace to the tomato crop. The virus is transmitted by insect-vector Bemisia tabaci. Symptoms The plants ar stunted leaves and internodes are much reduced in size, with the result that leaves are curled and crowded together. The leaflets are reduced in size and their margins are curled inwards or outwards. The infected plants are pale in colour and have a tendency to produce more stunted lateral branches, resulting in a bushy growth. This disease induces partial or complete sterility. Control i. Eradicate all infected plants ii. Spray Ekatox (0.02%) and Rogor (0.05%) at an interval of 10 days helps to reduce the incidence of the disease. iii.After 15 days of transplantation treat with DPB (antibiotic) at 15 days interval. It is most effective in reducing the infection. VIII. Diseases of Oilseed Crops Some of the important viral diseases of oilseed crops are mentioned here. A. Rosette disease of groundnut This disease is very much prevalent in groundnut growing areas. This disease is caused by the virus transmitted through Aphis craccivora aphids. Symptoms In the beginning the diseased plants show faint mottling and vein necrosis of the young leaflets. Subsequent leaves may be completely chlorotic or may show a mosaic pattern of dark green veins leading to light green leaflets. Later on leaves become reduced in size and the petiole and rachis are shortened the axis of the plant ceases to grow, thus making the plant rosetted. Diseased plants look stunted and is of bushy appearance. Control i. Rogue out infected plants.

ii. Aphids should be killed by spraying Metasystox 25 EC @ 1 ml dissolved in 1000 litres of water/hectare. B. Leaf curl disease of sesamum It is one of the important disease of sesamurn. This disease is caused by Nicotiana virus 10. This virus is transmitted by an aphid. Symptoms Downward curling of ,the infected leaves is the most conspicuous symptoms of the disease. Reduction in size, brittleness and dark colour are the most common features of infected leaves. In severely infected plant capsule formation does not take place. Control i. Apply phorate granules in soil @ 10 Kgihectare. ii. Spray metasystox @ 1 mill of water for killing aphids. IX. Conclusion Nowadays the viral diseases of plants are becoming a menace because they cannot be cured by any chemical treatment, the measures suggested for their control are only empirical. They are, more or less, prophylactic and meant for prevention of infection, eradication of the source of inoculum, or protection against the disease-carrying vectors. %%%%%%%%%%%%