Pepper Virus Tracking

After years of growing peppers (more than I will admit to), I have resolved to begin recording the observed virus resistance of the various varieties of peppers that I grow in my DG journal. Identifying the particular virus is not necessary since what is there is there and a variety that is not affected by something that is affecting another variety can be deemed to be resistant or tolerant.This should be a real advantage when choosing future varieties to grow as long as I maintain the necessary discipline in record keeping. Is anyone else doing this? The experience of other DG'ers might be the beginning of a useful database for everyone who grows peppers.

That makes sense. Beginning about 10-12 years ago, I've thought I had PMMV in my garden soil. Maybe some other virus, I don't know, but many varieties of peppers I tried to grow developed limp, dropping leaves, poor fruit set, and produced few and deformed peppers, often with soft spots. Whatever it was, it especially affected bell peppers and made them impossible for me to grow.

At that time I took critterologist's advice and switched to growing non-bell sweet peppers as well as some mild hot peppers with great results. Gypsy and Carmen are not at all affected by the virus and they've produced bumper crops for me every year. Sweet Spot, Bounty, Mariachi, and Ajo Dulce II seem to be immune also, but Poblano and Cubanelle were so susceptible the virus killed the plants.

10 or 12 years ago, ALL varieties of bell peppers I tried to grow were damaged, badly, by this virus. I didn't grow bells or any other susceptible variety for 7 or 8 years, and I think maybe I've outwaited the virus and my soil is OK again - maybe. I didn't plant any bell peppers this year, but last year I grew several Big Red plants and had good production and no problem.

I hope this information helps.

Thanx for the input, Ozark.I have a bell-type that I overwintered and it's going gangbusters. The only problem is that I cannot say with certainty what it is. I have a copy of last year's order from TGS and that narrows it down to 1 of 4 possibles. But my niece and son were helping with the transplanting of seedlings into EB's and they weren't labeled in a timely manner.So it's either a Gator Belle, Cajun Belle, Brigadier, or Camelot Hybrid.Since they don't have the same resistances, it's pure guesswork now. Anybody seen a 4-sided coin?

This message was edited May 24, 2012 11:01 AM