Reduce the risk of viruses getting into your crop

There is no way to eliminate viruses from plants once they're infected, so it is essential to do everything possible to prevent viruses from getting into the crop in the first place, writes Bill Kerr.

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Viruses enter a crop through various vectors, including aphids, whiteflies, and thrips. Once a virus is in a crop, it is difficult to stop it from spreading.

Clearly, it is better to prevent viruses from infecting a crop in the first place.

Vectors infected with viruses picked them up from infected plants, which aren't necessarily commercial crops. Many weeds are susceptible to viruses, and they are usually an overlooked reservoir for the initial introduction of viruses into crops.

The owner of a seedling nursery once asked me to investigate a complaint from one of his biggest clients, who accused him of delivering lettuce plants infected with spotted wilt and lettuce mosaic virus.

The seedling grower and I knew his nursery was completely virus-free.