On Apr 11, 7:20*am, Pat Kiewicz wrote:
goldtech said:



Hi,

I think there's a virus killing my winter and summer squash. The
leaves have yellow spots and they are curling, growth is stunted.

Does anyone know a source of non-gmo virus resistant seeds? Or variety
names I can search for that are resistant?

Infected plants should be removed immediately. Virus can be spread from
plant to plant during handling, so thorough cleanup after handling infected
plants is neccessary.

If it is Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV), all commercially available cultivars
are susceptible. *There are no resistant varieties. *Some varieties of
summer squash with the "precocious yellow" gene are described as
resistant, but the "resistance" is only in the sense that the fruit is less
likely to show the discoloration typical of the virus.

Winter weeds like chickweed can act as a reservoir for CMV and carry it
in their seeds. *A number of perennial weeds can act as a reservoir for
CMV.

Aphids are the main vector for the virus (early in the season). Aphids
are also the vectors for Watermelon Mosaic Virus (WMV), which, like
CMV, overwinters in weeds.

Perennial weeds suspected of acting as reservoirs for the viruses
mentioned include black nightshade, milkweeds, and some clovers
and other legumes.

Controlling aphids and eliminating problematic weeds is your primary
defense against these viruses.

Squash Mosaic Virus is seed-born in muskmelons and cucumber beetles
carry it (as well as bacterial wilt disease) to other curcurbits.

--
Pat in Plymouth MI

"Yes, swooping is bad."

email valid but not regularly monitored

Good information Pat. Since you sound like an extension agent I have
another issue for your input.

I use 13-13-13 fertilizer for my vegetable garden and this year I ran
into a questionable issue. The bags content lists NPK as 13% each but
also sulfur 8% and chlorine 'up to 13%'. No one seemed to know why
they started adding these additional components to a 'standard'
fertilizer. I e-mailed the question to the manufacturer who forwarded
it to the plant manager. The plant manager's response was "Sulfur is
being added because of the reduction in it's emission in industrial
smokestacks due to lawsuits, and plants need sulfur. The chlorine is
the byproduct of preparing muriate of potash. It can be used in
vegetable planting but not with tobacco planting".

So my question was answered why it was added to their product but not
how it would affect vegetables. Chlorine is usually listed as a plant
micronutrient but 'up to 13%' is definitely not 'micro'. And if it is
absorbed by tobacco plants is it also absorbed by vegetables? I'm
wondering if extension service agents are aware of, or looking into,
these changes.