From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Minnesota

Tobacco Mosaic Virus is a disease known to affect crops in the Solanaceae family. Is TMV known to affect any other families of crops, particularly the Cucurbitaceae family (pumpkins and squash)? I have access to some compost for my patch, but it is potentially contaminated with TMV...

4/8/2014 8:11:29 PM

Connecticut

Here is some links to some information on TMV:

http://www.apsnet.org/publications/apsnetfeatures/pages/tmv.aspx

http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/vegetables/tomato-tmv-disease/

And here are two quotes form the last source... "Tobacco mosaic virus is the most persistent plant virus known. It has been known to survive up to 50 years in dried plant parts."

"In Minnesota, common plant hosts for the mosaic virus are tomato, pepper, petunia, snapdragon, delphinium, and marigold. Tobacco mosaic virus also has been reported to a lesser extent in muskmelon, cucumber, squash, spinach, celosia, impatiens, ground cherry, phlox, zinnia, certain types of ivy, plantain, night shade, and jimson weed."

4/8/2014 10:39:32 PM

Colorado

Pass on that compost-no brainer

4/9/2014 1:09:43 AM

Muddy Waters

Yes and dont let people smoke and throw there butts in your patch!

4/9/2014 5:09:02 AM

Muddy Waters

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65_-vNtWLLs

4/9/2014 5:13:44 AM

BC, Canada

Yes Handy, years back I worked on a tomato farm for a couple of summers and. The boss man was fanatic and all over the smokers about hand washing and no butts or chew on the grounds anywhere. He put the fear in us and only hired smokers if he couldn't get enough field hands otherwise.
From U of M ext. "The most common sources of virus inoculum for tobacco mosaic virus are the debris of infected plants that remains in the soil and certain infected tobacco products that contaminate workers hands. Cigars, cigarettes, and pipe tobaccos can be infected with tobacco mosaic virus. Handling these smoking materials contaminates the hands, and subsequent handling of plants results in a transmission of the virus. Therefore, do not smoke while handling or transplanting plants."

4/9/2014 10:55:31 AM