Cucumber mosaic virus

Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) is one of the most significant and economically damaging plant viruses worldwide. Due to its extremely broad host range, which includes vegetables, ornamentals, and various weeds, it poses a persistent threat to agricultural stability in both temperate and tropical climates.

The virus is a member of the genus Cucumovirus and is characterized by its tripartite positive-sense RNA genome. Its high biological diversity allows it to infect a wide variety of plants, often co-infecting them with other viruses and leading to complex, severe disease outbreaks in fields and greenhouses.

Symptoms of CMV infection vary significantly depending on the host plant, but commonly include leaf mosaic patterns, yellowing, chlorosis, and severe leaf deformation such as shoe-stringing. Plants infected at an early stage often show stunted growth, reduced internode length, and diminished yields of fruit or foliage.

The virus is primarily transmitted by aphids in a non-persistent manner, meaning the aphids can acquire and transmit the virus in just a few seconds of probing. Beyond insect vectors, the virus is spread through contaminated tools during pruning, handling of infected plants, and occasionally through seed transmission in specific weed and crop species.

Management of the Cucumber mosaic virus relies on integrated pest management (IPM) practices. Key strategies include utilizing virus-resistant cultivars, implementing strict weed control to eliminate virus reservoirs, applying insecticides to manage aphid populations, and maintaining rigorous sanitation protocols for farm equipment and worker hands to prevent mechanical transmission.