Symptoms and Signs
Leaves of plants infected with lettuce chlorosis virus exhibit severe yellowing, rolling, brittleness, and vein-clearing. Plants infected early are stunted.
Comments on the Disease
This disease occurs in lettuce grown in the southern deserts of California. Lettuce chlorosis virus has a wide host range.
Lettuce chlorosis virus is transmitted by sweetpotato whitefly (Bemisia tabaci biotype MEAM1). Weed hosts are apparently the major source of lettuce chlorosis and barring any major change in cropping patterns in the desert, the incident of these viruses should remain low.
Management
Reducing whitefly numbers and removing weed sources may reduce this disease; however, specific controls are not generally practiced.