Back to Vegetable Crops

Virus infected squash
- Specific virus diseases are difficult to distinguish and produce a wide range of symptoms including stunted, slow growing plants, twisted, crinkled, cupped or deformed leaves, and leaf discoloration (yellow mottling and mosaic patterns, ringspots and dark-green banding). Viruses can cause colored circles or mottling (alternate dark green and light green or yellow streaks) of fruits.
- Viral symptoms are usually first observed on foliage.
- They can possibly infect bean, pea, pepper, cucumbers, squash, melon, and tomato plants.
- Aphid, thrips and leafhopper feeding transmit most viruses common in Maryland.
- Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) is mechanically transmitted by tools and handling plants.
- Viral diseases are systemic and symptoms tend to progress and worsen through the season.
Management
- If viral symptoms extend to edible plant parts, the entire plant needs to be removed and discarded. Pods with minor viral symptoms are edible and will not cause health problems.
- Control weeds around the garden and insect pests that suck plant sap.
- Grow or purchase transplants resistant to TMV.

Virus symptoms on pepper fruit

Virus symptoms on butternut
squash

Virus symptoms on peas

Virus symptoms on pumpkin
fruit

Tomato spotted wilt on tomato fruit