Apple Mosaic

White banding patterns appear on apple leaves in spring, especially on new growth; severely affected leaves drop early. This virus can reduce yield significantly on susceptible cultivars. Use virus-tested planting material from certified sources.

The use of certified virus-tested (and found to be free of all known viruses) planting material is the preferred strategy for protection from this disease. Thermotherapy (24 to 32 days at 38°C) and/or apical meristem culture have been used to eliminate various viruses.