Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMV) is a plant pathogenic virus that belongs to the plant virus genus, Tobamovirus

Tobamovirus

The genus Tobamovirus contains viruses with a positive sense RNA genome that infect plants. The most common tobamovirus is probably tobacco mosaic virus, which infects tobacco and other plants including potato, tomato, and squash. The name Tobamovirus comes from the host and symptoms: Toba for...

. Like other viruses in this genus, it has rod-shaped particles (312 x 18 nm) and is easily transmitted by mechanical inoculation. It can also be transmitted by contaminated seeds. No insect vector is known.

Symptoms and Inclusions of PMMV in Pepper
PMMV infects mainly Capsicum

Capsicum

Capsicum is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. Its species are native to the Americas where they have been cultivated for thousands of years, but they are now also cultivated worldwide, used as spices, vegetables, and medicines - and have become are a key element in...

species (peppers). It is one of at least 4 different species of Tobamovirus

Tobamovirus

The genus Tobamovirus contains viruses with a positive sense RNA genome that infect plants. The most common tobamovirus is probably tobacco mosaic virus, which infects tobacco and other plants including potato, tomato, and squash. The name Tobamovirus comes from the host and symptoms: Toba for...

that infect peppers . The others include Tobacco mosaic virus

Tobacco mosaic virus

Tobacco mosaic virus is a positive-sense single stranded RNA virus that infects plants, especially tobacco and other members of the family Solanaceae. The infection causes characteristic patterns on the leaves . TMV was the first virus to be discovered...

(TMV), Tomato mosaic virus

Tomato mosaic virus

Tomato mosaic virus is a plant pathogenic virus. It is found worldwide and affects tomatoes and many other plants.-Symptoms:The foliage of affected tomato plants shows mottling, with alternating yellowish and darker green areas, the latter often appearing thicker and raised giving a blister-like...

(ToMV) and Tobacco mild green mosaic virus (TMGMV).

History

In 1979-80, peppers with resistance to TMV and ToMV were found with virus-like symptoms. Research with these plants indicated that a new Tobamovirus related to TMV and ToMV was causing these symptoms. It was named Pepper mild mottle. Serological tests indicated that PMMV was indistinguishable from a previously reported Tobamovirus called Samsun latent mosaic virus (SLTMV). SLTMV virus was reported from the Southeast United States in 1952 and again in 1964. Now called PMMV, this virus is known to occur worldwide both in greenhouse production and in the field.

Prevention

As with all plant viruses, but especially with those in the Tobamovirus genus, avoidance is the best means of control. This means growers must practice good sanitation procedures and only plant clean seeds. (See reference 7 for a description of control measures for this virus.)

External links

• ICTVdB - The Universal Virus Database: Pepper mild mottle virus
• Family Groups - The Baltimore Method