Hektar

Alfaalfa mosaic virus in pepper – AMV

Symptoms of the disease (characteristics for the diagnosis of the disease)

• the young leaves show a pronounced mosaic, they are deformed, most often with necroses that lead to their fall, the plant having a defoliated appearance
• the stem shows elongated necroses
• yellow-white spots appear on mature leaves that expand and occupy a large part of the leaf blade
• on new growth, several small, deformed fruits are formed, and sometimes with necrotic spots that ripen unevenly
• symptoms tend to subside during the summer, but reappear as necroses in early September.

Factors favoring the occurrence and evolution of the disease

• observed more often in the field and sporadically in protected areas, i.e. pepper dwarfing and filling.

Prevention and control measures

• rotation of the pepper seedling and later in the culture in solariums or in the field to the attack of vector aphids by applying treatments with specific insecticides
• Treatments Active substance: 50 g/l alpha-cypermethrin (Fastac); Active substance: 50 g/l lambda-cyhalothrin (Karate Zeon); Active substance: 100 g/l zeta-cypermethrin (Fury)
• Biological control with predators and parasitoids (Coccinellidae beetles; various ladybird species Adalia bipunctata, Coccinella septempunctata, Adalia decepunctata; species of Orius and Anthocoris beetles; insects of the order Neuroptera such as Chrysopa and Chrysoperla)
• removal from planting of pepper seedlings with symptoms of viral infection or from the crop
• in the field, the placement of pepper crops should be carried out in corn fields perpendicular to the direction of the prevailing wind to prevent the spread of vector aphids
• destruction of weeds inside and near the pepper crop, in order to eliminate potential sources that can ensure the preservation of the virus.
• considering that alfalfa is the main host plant of the virus, it is recommended to avoid placing the pepper crop near the alfalfa crop.