Help Me Identify this Virus, Please!

[coolbythecoast]

So here in SoCal we have a virus that is becoming quite a problem, I see it in many locations, unfortunately including my garden. Last year it wiped out a whole bed of tomatoes of a dozen varieties

If I can identify the virus, perhaps I can find resistant seed; if I know the vector, perhaps I can deal with it.

Appearance varies, but attachment shows the 4 leaf symptoms:
Small
Curled
Green veins
Purple edge

Any suggestions for dealing with this problem?

Thanks,
Coolbythecoast

[Sun City Linda]

I think you may have nutritional and enviormental issues going on. Purple is common in cool spring temps and healthy plants outgrow it when it warms up. What are you feeding your plants?

[LDx4]

CbyC,

What are your nighttime temps when you see this problem? Do you see it at certain times in the season? My plants start to look like this in Nov/Dec, when the temps regularly get down into the 40s each night. I've been thinking that they just don't like the extended cooler temps. I've never seen it during the months of warmer night temps.

Lyn

[ginger2778]

My plants looked exactly like that after a heavy dose of copper spray. Growth stunted for about 3 weeks, then grew right out of it.
Marsha

[Hotwired]

If it is as widespread as you describe, then it's probably not a nutrition problem. You could be describing a virus carried by the Beet Leafhopper. California has a real problem with them near their breeding grounds in the foothills. The symptoms are stunted growth, curled leaf edges and dark purple coloring on leaves and stems. The leaves look burnt and die, and fruit becomes deformed and die. I have talked to someone who has a real problem with them west of San Diego.

[Heritage]

I agree with Lyn and Linda - it is a nutritional deficiency caused by growing in too cold of a temp. Are you growing these outside?

Steve

[Sun City Linda]

If OP googles Beet Curly Top Virus Tomato images which I think is what Hotwired is describing, you can compare the photos to what you are seeing.

[coolbythecoast]

Our virus does have symptoms similar to curly top (though I rarely see a leafhopper), but also symptoms similar to TYCLV as well as symptoms similar to potato leafroll. Often times there is no purple, but there is always chlorosis and dark green veins and some rolling. Here is another picture of our local virus, note similarities to TYLCV. I sent a sample to a TYLCV task force and they essentially said 'No it is not the deadly TYLCV, it is some other deadly tomato virus'. Since we are so close to Baja here and we get much produce from Baja, I wonder if it might be one of the new Baja geminiviruses. I can't find good pictures on the web of symptoms of these viruses.

Thanks for the hints regarding nutrition and temps, but strong, healthy plants turn south mid-season while the plant next to it looks just fine. I can't prove that the problem is a virus, but the symptoms look very much like the TYLCV and curly top viruses.

[Heritage]

The bottom left photo looks like classic signs of TYLCV so you might have a couple of issues. There is no way to identify a virus with photos alone since many virus symptoms are similar - it is also possible to have 2 or more viruses expressing themselves.

I use Agdia Immunostrips to field test for TMV, CMV, and TSWV (the 3 viruses I am most concerned about in this area). Unfortunately, Agdia doesn't make an Immunostrip for TYLCV so you would have to have them do an NAH test which is pretty pricey:
https://orders.agdia.com/InventoryD....t%20Applicable

Otherwise, control whiteflies and remove infected plants. TYLCV isn't transmitted mechanically or on seeds so it is manageable.

Good luck,
Steve

[Sun City Linda]

One of my tomatoes last year looked fully like the bottom left photo above. One of two plants in an EarthBox, the other was just fine. I also suspect you have more than one issue at work but I am no expert, its just that the photos seem to look different.

[coolbythecoast]

Steve, yes that has been my conclusion, control whitefly and remove infected plants as soon as they are identified. I tried growing plants in remay type 6ft bags, but this didn't seems to be effective and especially not cost effective. I was interested to note that not only does this limit the amount of bugs that get in, it also limits the predators. Removing one bag mid-season revealed thousands and thousands of aphids and a plant that was sucked dry. I should have thrown a handful of ladybugs in there and put the bag back down. I would have had a ladybug hatchery!

Thanks guys for all the feedback!

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Heritage

The bottom left photo looks like classic signs of TYLCV so you might have a couple of issues. There is no way to identify a virus with photos alone since many virus symptoms are similar - it is also possible to have 2 or more viruses expressing themselves.

I use Agdia Immunostrips to field test for TMV, CMV, and TSWV (the 3 viruses I am most concerned about in this area). Unfortunately, Agdia doesn't make an Immunostrip for TYLCV so you would have to have them do an NAH test which is pretty pricey:
https://orders.agdia.com/InventoryD....t%20Applicable

Otherwise, control whiteflies and remove infected plants. TYLCV isn't transmitted mechanically or on seeds so it is manageable.

Good luck,
Steve

Agreed. The one on the left is TYLCV. Much clearer picture. I would know it anywhere. I have had it pretty much every year for about 9 years now. I pull them and get rid of them once I see that because the fruit won't ripen inside at all, just partially outside, and the whiteflies will pass it to my other plants by hopping to them and then feeding on them.
Bad news stuff.

[coolbythecoast]

Here's a picture I just took. Granted the weather is cool here, but my Stupice looks perfectly green. Symptoms started with curled chlorosis leaves with dark green veins. TYLCV or something else? For all I know I may have a trifecta of virus

[Sun City Linda]

I HATE tomato disease!!!


Cant see your photo too well, but I am assuming it is very purple. What kind of tomato is doing that. You know, Stupice is a cold climate, early type Tom. I actually have a Black and Brown Boar in a pot, a holdover from Fall, it has come thru the winter, I RARELY brought it in, and we have had the antactica express here in SoCal this year. It does not have a trace of purple or yellow on it. Looking at it, you would think it has been inside under lights the whole time.

[coolbythecoast]

Linda, I don't know the type as it was a volunteer, but I can say that it is a cherry and was perfectly green a month or two ago during some pretty cold weather. Then it developed the virus symptoms, then it turned purple. Yuk. This plant is a trooper, though. It is the only plant that survived and thrived my cool winter ocean winds and even with the cool temps and rampant disease it is still setting tomatoes! I wish I could identify the variety, but for my own purposes you know I saved seeds!

We sure have this in common, we HATE tomato disease!!!