Integrated Pest Management

Rose Mosaic

Prunus necrotic ring spot virus; Apple mosaic virus

rose mosaic

Rose mosaic (Penn State Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology Archives, Bugwood.org)

rose mosaic

Rose mosaic symptom (Mary Ann Hansen, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Bugwood.org)

 

Hosts, Symptoms & Signs

  • caused by a complex of several viruses
  • roses are the host
  • spread by aphids
  • leaves show a yellow irregular zigzag pattern

Disease Cycle

  • aphids transmit the virus to roses while feeding on the plants
  • symptoms develop about a week after infection
  • aphids must feed on an infected plant to be able to transmit the virus again

IPM Recommendations

  • The virus is primarily an aesthetic issue; tolerate leaf discoloration.
  • Control with insecticides is very difficult. Aphids transmit viruses before death from insecticides occurs.
  • Apply an insecticide (insecticidal soap; pyrethroid; systemic neonicitinoid) to reduce secondary spread to neighboring plants.