Cucumber Mosaic Virus

11 years ago

I have been trying to figure out what is going on with my Russian 117 heart. It has not grown properly since it was a seedling. The stems are fusing, mega blooms develop, and the foliage is twisted just like 2,4d herbicide damage. The first twisted leaves appeared when it was just a tiny seedling while still in my 2nd floor storage room. My storage room has been sprayed with insulating foam, so is airtight. At that time, it was too early for anyone to be spraying lawns....still winter here! Planted out in it's container (20 gallon fabric) in mid April and while all the other tomatoes are thriving, this one is not. New growth starts out fine and then starts twisting and curling. On this site they said expanding leaves become twisted, curl downward, and develop a shoestring appearance. Which is just what this plant is exhibiting. http://www.hfrr.ksu.edu/doc1615.ashx I have only one neighbor who uses a lawn service and they came in late March. I am pretty much ruling out 2,4d damage as all the new growth becomes deformed and all of my other tomato plants are fine. This plant is now infested with aphids. I have never had aphids! A few question, is CMV a possible culprit? If so, could this have started from the seed? (I had terrible germination rate, 1 plant out of 4 seeds) Or is it more likely transmitted by the aphids? Does the virus stay in the soil or do I need to empty the container and put new sterile mix in? What precautions should I take?

I have had 2,4d damage years ago from the manure added to the potting mix. All the plants were affected that year. I am almost positive this is not 2,4d damage. Here's a picture. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Jennie

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Comments (3)

hoosier40 6a Southern IN
11 years ago
jennie,

I had the same thing happen and just decided it was some kind of genetic problem. I ended up tossing it when I repotted. It was the only one out of a couple hundred that I started.
digdirt2
11 years ago
Doesn't look like CMV to me - don't see the mottled leaves and the leaves aren't shoe string nearly enough IME - but then CMV isn't seen here much at all and a pic is far from ideal for a diagnosis.

I suppose it is possible and yeah it can be transmitted by aphids (it is supposedly not seed borne nor does it remain in soil per Cornell) but this plant was bad before the aphids came along. Been bad since day one, right?

But honestly, what difference does it make? It is obviously sick with 'something' and has been since it was a young seedling so why is it still growing? Still risking other plants? It needs to be pitched IMO but I suppose you could always cut it way back, check the pith in the stems you cut off, and watch the new growth to see what happens. Wouldn't tell you what the problem is but would tell you it was likely seed borne.

Dave
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Jennie Sims
Original Author
11 years ago
I guess I will never know what the problem was. Hoosier, is there really such a thing as a genetic problem. If that is the case, I will be so relieved that I haven't transferred anything to the other plants. And Dave, yes it has been bad since day one. And since I have known it was sick with something, I moved it out of the garden to an isolated spot and was very careful to not transmit anything to the other plants by not using any tools that weren't cleaned after use. But I Just kept hoping it would pull out of it with new growth, I really wanted to try this variety. I could post more pictures of all the growth but I won't. That was new growth already deformed. Lots of shoe string leaves on older leaves. It was pitched yesterday Dave just so you know. Thank you for all replies.

Jennie