Chlorosis Mottle Ringspots Stunting Petunias are vulnerable to a large number of viruses. The single virus we detect most often in petunias, tobacco mosaic virus, can cause crinkled leaves, yellow and green mosaic, and stunting. The virus can remain infective for a long time in soil and on tools and other surfaces.
People can transmit tobacco mosaic virus and tomato mosaic virus readily by working with plants.
Unburned tobacco products can be a source of infection.