Cucumber Mosaic Virus

Definition

Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV) is a plant virus that affects a wide range of plants, particularly cucumbers, and is known for causing significant agricultural losses. This virus is characterized by its ability to spread through various means, including mechanical transmission and insect vectors, especially aphids. The symptoms of infection include mottled or yellowing leaves and stunted growth, reflecting the complex interactions between the virus and its host plants.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Cucumber Mosaic Virus can infect over 1,200 different plant species, making it one of the most widespread plant viruses.
2. Infected plants may show a range of symptoms from mild mosaic patterns on leaves to severe stunting and poor fruit development.
3. CMV is primarily transmitted by aphids in a non-persistent manner, meaning that the virus can be picked up and transmitted quickly.
4. Control measures for CMV often involve managing aphid populations and planting resistant cultivars to reduce the impact of the virus.
5. The economic impact of CMV is significant in agriculture due to reduced yield and quality in affected crops, especially cucumbers and tomatoes.

Review Questions

• How does Cucumber Mosaic Virus interact with its host plants to cause symptoms like chlorosis and stunted growth?
  • Cucumber Mosaic Virus interacts with its host plants by hijacking the plant's cellular machinery to replicate itself. This viral replication disrupts normal cellular functions, leading to symptoms such as chlorosis, where leaves turn yellow due to insufficient chlorophyll production. The infection also affects nutrient transport and growth regulation, resulting in stunted growth as the plants struggle to allocate resources effectively.
• Discuss the methods of transmission for Cucumber Mosaic Virus and their implications for managing outbreaks in crops.
  • Cucumber Mosaic Virus primarily spreads through aphids, which can rapidly transmit the virus from one plant to another without needing to establish a prolonged feeding relationship. This non-persistent transmission means that managing aphid populations is crucial for controlling CMV outbreaks. Farmers can implement strategies such as insecticides, introducing natural predators, or planting resistant varieties to mitigate the risk of CMV spread in their crops.
• Evaluate the significance of Cucumber Mosaic Virus's extensive host range in relation to agricultural practices and crop management strategies.
  • The extensive host range of Cucumber Mosaic Virus poses significant challenges for agricultural practices because it affects a wide variety of economically important crops. This diversity complicates crop rotation and integrated pest management strategies since control measures effective for one plant species may not apply to others. Furthermore, this broad susceptibility can lead to rapid outbreaks across different crops within an ecosystem, necessitating comprehensive surveillance and management plans that consider all potential host plants to minimize economic losses.

Related terms

Aphids: Small sap-sucking insects that act as important vectors for many plant viruses, including Cucumber Mosaic Virus.

Chlorosis: A condition in which leaves produce insufficient chlorophyll, leading to yellowing, commonly seen in plants infected with CMV.

Host Range: The variety of plant species that a virus can infect, with CMV having an extensive host range across many families.