Credits: Biovision-Infonet
(c) E Monyo, 2014
It consists of three types namely groundnut chlorotic rosette, groundnut green rosette and groundnut mosaic.
The disease is caused by a complex of different strains of groundnut rosette umbravirus. Symptoms vary depending on strain(s) present.
They include yellowing, mottling and mosaic symptoms on leaves and stunting and distortion of the shoots.
Older leaves are dark green, reduced in size, and show downward rolling of leaflet margins.
If the plants are infected when they are young, they may not produce nuts.
The virus is transmitted by aphids (Aphis craccivora and A. gossypii), which feed on the undersides of the leaves.
What to do:
- Sow early in the rains and plant close (high density planting).
- Plant tolerant / resistant varieties, e.g. “Asirya Mwitunde” .
- Remove virus-infected plants after harvest, and volunteer plants that are primary source of infection.