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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Plant Pathology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #165896
Title: PEPPERS, TOMATOES, AND TOBAMOVIRUSES

Author
item BAKER, C. - FDACS-DPI
item Adkins, Scott

Submitted to: Government Publication/Report
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2004
Publication Date: 4/1/2004
Citation: Baker, C., Adkins, S. 2004. Peppers, Tomatoes, and Tobamoviruses. Government Publication/Report.

Interpretive Summary: At least four different tobamoviruses naturally infect and cause disease in peppers. These include Tobacco mosaic virus, Tomato mosaic virus, Tobacco mild green mottle virus and Pepper mild mottle virus. The first three of these viruses can also infect and cause disease in tomatoes. These viruses can cause serious economic losses in both field and greenhouse-grown crops. All four of these tobamoviruses have been diagnosed in various plants in Florida. This report provides an overview of tobamoviruses infecting peppers and tomatoes in Florida, the diseases caused and appropriate management techniques in a format suitable for and accessible to growers, Extension personnel and state and Federal scientists.

Technical Abstract: In Florida, the production of pepper and tomato transplants and the production of fresh market peppers and tomatoes are multi-million dollar industries. Because yield losses to tobamovirus infections can be anywhere from 20-100%, it is very important to the Florida pepper and tomato industries to have and maintain plants free of tobamovirus infections both in the greenhouse and in the field. Tobamoviruses are very easy to spread but exceedingly difficult to eliminate. Avoidance is the best option. Control of these diseases is literally and figuratively in the hands of the growers themselves.