Protection methods

• During cultivation

There is currently no curative control method that can control viral infections in the field. A plant infected with infected for the squash mosaic virus ( SqMV rest ) will therefore remain of its life. However, in some cases, a phenomenon of "recovery" is observed. Young leaves, formed after the onset of strong symptoms, may appear almost normal. This sometimes makes the diagnosis difficult; however, viral multiplication can remain intense and such plants, which still produce mosaic fruits, are still potential sources of the virus.

At the very beginning of an attack, and in particular if the symptoms appear as soon as they emerge, must be immediately the first diseased plants eliminated , especially in crops under cover. However, you should know that the symptoms are expressed only after an incubation period of one to two weeks, during which the plant has multiplied the virus; it could therefore already be transmitted mechanically to neighboring plants. Therefore, when the first symptoms are observed, the epidemic is probably developing. In addition, care must be taken not to touch healthy plants when removing diseased plants that have been uprooted. For this, it will be desirable to put them directly in a plastic bag before taking them out of the culture.

The disinfecting tools size or trisodium phosphate crop 5-10% will reduce the chances of mechanical transmission of the virus from plant to plant. If the virus is only present in a single plot of the farm, cropping operations (pruning or harvests) must always be terminated by this, to avoid introducing the virus into the other plots.

• Next crops

Certain prophylactic methods make it possible to limit the risk of contamination.

Priority should be given to using healthy seed lots . SqMV is transmitted by seed via infection of the embryo, so it is not possible to disinfect the seeds and sanitize a contaminated seed lot. On the other hand, methods for detecting the virus in seeds are currently being developed: they should allow the certification of seed lots without virus.

The SqMV being transmitted by the seed, it is absolutely necessary to take care not to leave, at the end of cultivation, contaminated fruits in the plot. Indeed, if these fruits are crushed, the seeds can remain in the soil and then germinate and give rise to contaminated plants, potential sources of virus for a new crop.

SqMV resistant varieties of melon or zucchini are not currently available.