The tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) is a disease that attacks not only marijuana plants, but also tomato, pepper, eggplant, tobacco, spinach, petunia, and marigold.
How to deal with the Tobacco mosaic virus on cannabis
It isn’t very selective, but it does have a high impact. Read this article and learn how to recognize and treat TVM.
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What is the tobacco mosaic virus?
The tobacco mosaic virus is, as its name hints, a type of virus. It can live in contaminated soil, infected plant debris, the coating of a seed, and even in tobacco products that have been manufactured. The virus travels between plants generally through a mechanical cause.
What is the tobacco mosaic virus on marijuana
Your hands can even spread the infection. If you unknowingly work with an infected plant and then come in contact (or your clothes or tools come in contact) with a healthy marijuana plant, the healthy plant has a high chance of catching the virus.
Some insects may also be carriers of the virus, but aphids are not one of them. It’s generally insects that will chew on your plant.
Signs of TMV
You will know that your marijuana plant has the tobacco mosaic virus by its green mottled areas on the leaves. These mottled areas are both dark and light green and are caused by the presence of the virus. Oftentimes the dark parts of the leaf are physically thicker than the lighter parts. Additionally, if the leaf is underneath shade than it is easier for the grower to spot the discoloration.
Possible sign of tobacco mosaic virus on marijuana plants
Tobacco Mosaic Virus causes stunted growth in young plants, and may distort the leaves into a fern-like shape. Older leaves, on the other hand, may be a bit distorted, but they mostly just curl downwards.
Depending on the virus strain, buds might also be mottled, streaked, or show signs of necrosis. While plants that are affected won’t be killed by the virus, they will have worse buds and, therefore, worse yields. Not sure if your marijuana plants suffer from a TVM infection?
How to cure TMV
Unfortunately, once your plants are infected with a virus, there is not much you can do about it. Virus diseases simply can’t be controlled once they have been transmitted. This is why it is particularly important to prevent the virus from infecting your plants in the first place.
No cure for tobacco mosaic virus on marijuana plants
Your best weapons against the transmitting of this disease are sanitation and caution. If you do discover a plant that has been infected, you should remove it from the rest of your garden at once. If caught early enough, this should stop the spread of the tobacco mosaic virus.
Check the article Marijuana diseases for a list with pictures of all possible marijuana diseases
Also read “Diseases on marijuana plants“
If you or anyone else uses tobacco or has worked with plant material that was infected, they should wash their hands with soap and water. This will prevent it from spreading to any other plants they are handling.
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Marijuana plant symptoms
Leaf color:
Brown, burnt edges
Pale color
Yellowing of new growth
Yellowing of lower, older leaves
Yellowing between veins
Dark or purple in color
Black or gray patches
White powdery patches
Brown, dark spots
Mottling, mosaic pattern
Leaf symptoms:
Upper, newer growth affected
Lower, older growth affected
Burnt leaf edges
Burnt leaf tips
Death of leaf tips
Yellowing between veins
White powdery patches
Red stems
Spots
Mottling, mosaic pattern
Old leaves fall off
Slowed growth
Twisted, abnormal growth
Leaves curling under or upwards
Wilting, drooping
Webbing on leaves
Plant symptoms:
Red or purple stems
Weakened stems
Old leaves falling off
Slowed growth
Twisted, abnormal growth
Wilting or drooping
Slowed root growth
Other symptoms:
Webbing
Bugs
Mold
Buds not getting fatter
In case you are someone who uses tobacco practices due to cultural practices, you should avoid these practices altogether while you are growing marijuana plants. The tobacco mosaic virus can sit steadily and stably in manufactured tobacco, so this is a crucial step in preventing the spread of this virus to your plants. It’s best not to touch tobacco until the growing season is over.
Remember that plants with strong genetics have less change of getting sick and are less vulnerable for pests and diseases. So make sure to buy marijuana seeds from a trusted seed bank.
Thanks for reading. Please leave comments or questions below and don’t forget to download my free grow bible
Robert
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