African Violet

 

Key warning symptoms:

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• Ringspots

• Distorted leaves

• Mottle

• Stunting

• Chlorosis

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The two pathogens we detect most frequently in African Violets and other gesneriads are Impatiens necrotic spot virus and Tomato spotted wilt virus. Both are transmitted by thrips and can cause a number of symptoms, which can include ringspots and mottle on leaves and brown rings around the leaf petiole. Other viruses can also cause mottled patterns, as well as symptoms such as distorted leaves.

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One other virus we often find in African Violets is tobacco mosaic virus, which can be transmitted by people handling plants, by plant-to-plant contact, or in soil. Watering with cold water can produce spots and rings that resemble virus symptoms.

 

African Violet Virus Screen      

• Impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV) ELISA              

• Tobacco etch virus (TEV) ELISA              

• Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) ELISA            

• Tomato aspermy virus (TAV) ELISA             

• Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) ELISA          

• Potyvirus virus group test (Poty) PCR             

 

Other virus tests available for African Violet - ELISA

• Carnation ringspot virus (CRSV)

 

Bacterial diseases - PCR

• Agrobacterium tumefaciens (Crown gall)

 

Fungal Diseases - PCR

• Alternaria sp. (Leaf spot)  

• Botrytis cinerea (Gray mold)

• Fusarium solani (Fusarium root rot)

• Phytophthora sp. (Root and crown rot)

• Pythium sp. (Pythium root rot)   

• Rhizoctonia solani (Root and crown rot)     

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