Causal Agent: 

Cucumovirus (Cucumber mosaic virus CMV)

Characteristic Symptoms:
 
Symptoms may vary depending on the virus strain, variety and plant age at infection.
   
Symptoms on young leaves are small green-yellow spots, which is initially slightly transparent, and progresses into yellow mosaic with distorted leaf blade, reduced leaf size and shoe-stringing.
   
Plants infected at very young age are usually stunted.
   
In some varieties, ring spots can be observed on the lower leaves and fruits are wrinkled or may show necrotic marks.
   
Transmission and Spread:
 
The virus is transmitted in nature by more than 80 species of aphids, including Myzus persicae in a non-persistent manner (vector can acquire and transmit the virus after feeding for only one minute).
   
The virus has a very wide host range and may infect many crops including cucurbits, solanaceous and others.
   
The virus is not transmitted through pepper seed.
   
The virus can be transmitted mechanically but workers handling infected pepper plants do not readily transmit it since the virus is not as stable as TMV.
   
Management and Control:
 
Use resistant varieties, if available.
   
Use virus-free seeds and seedlings.
   
Remove infected plants as early as virus symptoms are observed to prevent/minimize spread of the virus by aphids.
   
Remove weeds that serve as alternate hosts/virus reservoirs.
   
Disinfect tools, farm implements with chlorine solution before moving from diseased areas to healthy areas.
   
Control/minimize aphid population by using plastic mulch, yellow sticky traps and/or use of insecticides such as azadirachtin (neem), cartap hydrochloride (e.g.  PadanⓇ, Barena 50 SP, Gemtrak®), acetamiprid (e.g. MospilanⓇ), acephate (e.g. AcetamⓇ, CompeteⓇ), chlorphenapyr (e.g. Kotetsu) or penthoate (e.g. PennantⓇ, VidexⓇ). and acephate (e.g. Compete®).
   

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