Lettuce big-vein disease

Lettuce big-vein disease causes leaf distortion and ruffling in affected lettuce plants.

Lettuce big-vein disease
Causal agents	lettuce big-vein associated virus (LBVaV)
Hosts	Lettuce
Vectors	Olpidium brassicae
Treatment	See text

This disease was first associated in 1983 with a rod-shaped virus named lettuce big-vein associated virus (LBVaV), which is transmitted by the obligately parasitic soil-inhabiting fungus, Olpidium brassicae.^[1] However, in 2000, a second virus, Mirafiori lettuce big-vein virus (MLBVV), was found in lettuce showing big-vein symptoms. Furthermore, since the lettuce infected with LBVaV alone doesn't develop the symptoms while the infected with MLBVV one does, the latter virus is considered to be a main agent of the big-vein disease.^[2]

Symptoms

Affected plants have veins that become large and clear, causing the rest of the leaf to become ruffled. Severely infected plants may fail to form a lettuce head.^[1]

Control

• Grow disease-resistant cultivars.
• Use disease-free healthy seeds.
• Treat with methyl bromide, chloropicrin, or dazomet solution.