We have had a problem with a virulent strain of tobacco virus mosaic
in commercial vegetable growing.A consultant(not trained in
virology)has told us we need to control the viral vector, which is
aphids. He postulates that the carrier of the virus is a native grass
or weed in adjacent areas. He claims that we don't have to worry about
the virus living in the fields we farm, because the virus will die
when we plow the fields in the fall. Therefore crop rotation is
irrelevant in viral control. Question: could the virus survive in dead
or possibly slow decaying plants ? Thank you Rich
