Mosaic virus

Dan McAuliffe asked 13 years ago

A couple of my potato plants are suffering from a mosaic virus. I’ve since been spraying all my spuds with garlic extract to hopefully keep the aphids from spreading it! Is this enough or will I have to remove the infected plants? Also if I dont have to remove the infected plants will they produce good potatoes.

1 Answers

Gerry Daly Staff answered 6 years ago
Potato virus diseases are not so much a problem in the first year they are seen as it is the build-up of vrus burden over a few years that evetnually means poor yield. This is known as ‘running out’.

If you use Certified seed potatoes, there should be no virus or very few affected plants. These viruses are transmitted by greenflies and greenflies must be controlled to the spread to unaffected stock. However, this is a concern for commercial growers of seed potatoes more than the home grower.

If you see affected plants, stunted  with yellowed parts and streaking, these should be removed to prevent spread.

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