Lettuce dieback is a soil-borne disease caused by two closely related viruses from the family Tombusviridae Tomato Bushy Stunt Virus (TBSV) and Lettuce Necrotic Stunt Virus (LNSV) that has been reclassified as Moroccan Pepper Virus (MPV). The disease has been observed throughout the main lettuce producing areas of California and Arizona.
Since December in 2019, we received some samples that looked like lettuce dieback disease. The samples came positive for a new virus tentatively named as Lettuce dieback associated virus. We have been seeing symptoms in resistant cultivars (with Tvr1 gene) which suggests that the new virus is involved in the symptomology.
Little is known about the virus as of now, as it is still a work in progress. What we know so far, is that the virus is soilborne, and has been found to have more correlation with the dieback disease more than Tomato bushy stunt virus.
Dr. William Wintermantel (pictured above, bill.wintermantel@usda.gov ) has been working on the virus and has developed protocol for virus testing.
Dr. Wintermantel has also shared the protocol with Trical Diagnostics so if you want rapid molecular diagnosis please contact Steve Koike (SKoike@trical.com).
If you have plants showing symptoms of Tomato bushy stunt virus, please bring the samples to Yuma Plant Health Clinic for diagnosis.