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NMSU Professors: Danger Of Chile-Damaging Virus Still Low

Experts say there should be little impact this year from a chile-damaging virus.

New Mexico State University professors announced this week that although the danger of curly top virus is higher than last year, it's still in the low percentage range.

Rebecca Creamer, professor of plant virology, says most chile growers won't have major problems because the region didn't have large amounts of fall rains.

Curly top virus is transmitted from the tiny beet leafhopper insect, which feeds on weeds and certain crop plants such as chile and tomato, passing the disease from weeds to crops.

The virus is a prevalent problem in arid regions such as California, New Mexico, Arizona, Washington State and other places around the world including Mexico and Iran.

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