Lettuce big-vein disease

Lettuce big-vein disease causes leaf distortion and ruffling in affected lettuce plants.

This disease was first associated in 1983 with a rod-shaped virus named lettuce big-vein associated virus (LBVaV), which is transmitted by the obligately parasitism, parasitic soil-inhabiting fungus, ''Olpidium brassicae''. However, in 2000, a second virus, ''Mirafiori lettuce virus'', was found in lettuce showing big-vein symptoms. Furthermore, since the lettuce infected with this virus alone developed big-vein symptoms, it is considered to be a main agent of the big-vein disease.

Symptoms

Affected plants have veins that become large and clear, causing the rest of the leaf to become ruffled. Severely infected plants may fail to form a lettuce head.

Control

* Grow disease-resistant cultivars.
* Use disease-free healthy seeds.
* Treat with methyl bromide, chloropicrin, or dazomet solution.

References

Lettuce diseases
Viral plant pathogens and diseases
Leaf diseases
Rhabdoviridae

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