Virus diseases of plants generally cannot be treated. Eradication of the virus would require destruction of entire orchards. In order to contain the disease, the affected area has been placed under quarantine, making it illegal to move stone fruit trees or budwood from the area. However, some spread of the virus may have already occurred in symptomless planting stock. Therefore, commercial growers and Extension personnel throughout North America need to be aware of plum pox symptoms in order to protect the stone fruit industry.
Ornamental trees are an important reservoir for the plum pox virus.
Extension personnel should be diligent when observing Prunus specimens whether submitted by commercial growers or homeowners. Symptoms vary depending on the host. On peach, symptoms appear on the first leaves to expand as yellowish zones along veins. This symptom is difficult to distinguish from other causes of yellowing along veins such as nutrient deficiency. Plum pox is difficult to detect, because leaf symptoms are often restricted to only a few leaves per shoot, and infected trees are usually not stunted.