The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-19
GRANVILLE WILT
DAMAGES TOBACCO
u-,s One Of Several Troubles
Experienced BY Farmers
During Season

ISIOlN
p.an war made it necessary to re-
,trict production. Then a cold,
domn spring was favorable to Sc
wore blue mold attacks on many
soctions. And the hot, dry sum-
NOR cut yields and diminished
quality.
,,d r, Garriss and Don E. Ellis,
slsnt pathologists of the State col
1eae Extension service. They say
nat Granville wilt a n d mosaic
.howed up in many heretofore I'M
diseased fields to further plague
the tobacco grower.
Garriss says that several coun-
ties in the southeastern part OF
the state have had serious infec-
ron of granville wilt, q disease
n%reviously conferred in Granville,
durham. and Wake counties.
One field l inspected in Colum-
bns county, near Old Dock, was
almost completely wiped out by
the disease and other fields visited
in the county showed that Gran
Vile wilt has becom a serious
nroblem in Columbus the plant
nathclogis declared.
Ellis said in his report: "Tobac-
~ mosaic sometimes called Wal
lion or Calico is responsible
agpjn this yea for serious losses
to tobacco growers in many sec
lions of the state. The disease is
widespread in several counties.
One field recently visited in BERTHE
county had 100 percent mosaic-in-
fected plants. resulting in practic-
ally a total loss to the owner
Something Can Be Done
Despite these discouraging re-
norts, both extension specialists
said that losses from Granville
wilt and mosaic can be effectively
reduced. if not entirely controlled,
by proper methods of production.
1--WE have found" Garriss said,
that sanitary measures will SUBJ
stantially reduce damage fir o m
Granville wilt" Ellis said that
the same applies to mosaic.
Granville wilt is caused by a
bacterial parasite (germ) which
will live in the soil indefinitely if
plants susceptible to attack by the
germ are grown on the land. Ro-
taion of tobacco with resistant
crops will ordinarily reduce losses
from the disease.
rlants found to be immune to
Granville wilt are corn, sweet po-
tatoes. cotton, wheat, oats, rye,
barley, crimson clover, Austrian
winter peas, vetch, lespedeza, GRO
talaria, herds cred top) grass, crab
grass, watermelons, cantaloupes,
and sorghum.
Other plants which r resistant
to Granville wilt include cowpeas,
velvet beans. soybeans, and lima
beans. The susceptible plants, in
addition to tobacco, are: Tomatoes,
Irish potatoes, peppers, string
beans, peanuts, Jimson (stink)
weeds, groundcherry. horsenettle,
ragweed horse (stick) weed, cock
lebur, croton. Spanish needles, as
ter. and others.
THE susceptibility of Irish po-
%tatoes, tomatoes, and the like to
Granville will apparently accounts
Tor the occurrence of the disease
in some Of the counties for distant
from Granville, Wake and Dur
ham, Garris said. Farmers
planted tobacco this year on land
where these crops were grown last
year. and the disease has been
brought in through soil attached
% the tomato plants or to seed po-
tatoes. OF course, there was some
Injection due to the importation of
areas" 1
Makes Suggestions
In his suggestions for sanitary
practices TO reduce Granville wilt
.ooacco plants from diseased
osses, the specialist listed: "a
ooht import plants for setting i'll
areas having Granville wilt; ca
prevent washing of soil from in
.eeted to uninfected fields; 60 try
20 avoid the transportation of to-
,seco stalks and trash from in
reeled fields, and az avoid trans
pof'aton Of soil on farm nipple
nlents and on the feet of animals
ana man from infected to uninfect-
"a Ields. He also recommends a
Yum three to five-year rotations
VI tooacco with immune or resis-
.aii' crops, but says sanitary prac-
".eS are more important.
Ellis explained that mosaic is
sauSed by a highly infective virus
snlch Is able to live over in prac-
ncally all types of manufactured
.no natural leaf tobacco, and may
ee readily transmitted from these
Srfns of tobacco to the growing
disease is frequently car
leo from n plant to another by
Me hands of the farmer" Ellis
,uvlsed. Thus, it is advisable that
,stSons working with plant beds or
me held either not use tobacco,
wash their hands in a mild dis.
nIectant before starting wedding,
.rop."
continuing, the plant pathologist
a mo plants showing symp-
Mis- T.ls OF the disease should be trans
Sah1ed to the field. For at least
I've weeks after TRANSFORMING, all