Mosaic viruses

Mosaic viruses

Subject : Science and tech

Section: Biotechnology

Concept :

• Farmers in Maharashtra have said their tomato crop was impacted by attacks of the cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), while growers in Karnataka blamed the tomato mosaic virus (ToMV).

About CMV and ToMV

• The two plant pathogens have similar names and cause similar damage to crops, but they belong to different viral families.
• ToMV belongs to the Virgaviridae family and is closely related to the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV).
• ToMV hosts include tomato, tobacco, peppers, and certain ornamental plants.
• CMV has a much larger host pool that includes cucumber, melon, eggplant, tomato, carrot, lettuce, celery, cucurbits and some ornamentals. CMV was identified in cucumber in 1934, which gave the virus its name.

Spread of virus:

• ToMV spreads mainly through infected seeds, saplings, agricultural tools and often, through the hands of nursery workers who have failed to sanitise themselves properly before entering the fields.
• CMV is spread by aphids, which are sap-sucking insects.
• CMV too can spread through human touch, but the chances of that are extremely low.

Impact on the crop:

• Both viruses can cause almost 100 per cent crop loss unless properly treated on time.