This virus was first described in the United Kingdom on potatoes, in 1931. It is present in Europe and in all regions of the world where the potato is cultivated. PVX, formerly feared in association with TMV or ToMV, is not harmful on tomatoes today, especially in countries where resistance to ToMV is used.

The viral particles or virions are filamentous in shape and measure 515 x 13 nm (Figure 1).

Figure 1

• Symptoms

Marbling, a sometimes necrotic mosaic when accompanied by necrotic spots, appears on the leaves.

• Ecology, epidemiology
  

PVX is polyphagous, since at least 67 species belonging to 27 botanical families can harbor it. Among them are pepper, tobacco, potato, Solanum nigrum, Physalis ixocarpa, Datura stramonium, Nicandra physaloides, Hyoscyamus muticus , artichoke, Brassica rapa, Chenopodium album, Convolvulus tricolor, Rumex acetosella, Plantago major , the grapevine.

It is mainly transmitted by contact in tomatoes.

• Protection methods

Consult the control methods recommended to control PepMV