Re: [CH] TMV revisited

Peter Moss (pmoss@yoda.alt.za)
Wed, 16 Jun 1999 18:39:18 RSA-2 

> Date: Tue, 15 Jun 1999 22:38:13 -0400
> From: "Byron" <Byron.bromley@Gsd-Co.Com>

Not to belabour this point as that has been done quite 
successfully.

Byron 

If I gave you a flask of ebola virus would you treat it with 
your virus killing technique and drink it?  I think not ;-)

Do you recommend the indiscriminate use of raw tobacco products 
on pepper plants?

Do you think that when discussing a product that uses raw
tobacco products, that information on possible TMV infection
of pepper plants should be included?  Note that the produced 
product is not the only possible infection vector.

Your post is interesting and shows a lot of research for the  
reason that somehow you believe that you are right and have 
been victimized.  Not good reasons.  Some of your conclusions are 
made without actual evidence.

The original point was that raw tobacco products are a
potential source of TMV.  There is ample evidence of this in
your research.  As such you have posted nothing to contradict
that statement.  In that case such products should be treated 
with caution and if recommending there use a warning should be
issued.

This has nothing to do with your mixture nor was it an
indication that tobacco products could not be used.  It has
everything to do with being informative and making people aware
of the risks.  That possibly they should not go out and buy a 
bag of tobacco dust and sprinkle it all over their plants.

[Viable for 40 years in debris and 4 months on seeds] is 
contradictory.  Seeds are debris.  I believe that 3000 days is 
more correct.

The tobacco industry as is my understanding has for some
considerable years been developing resistant strains.  Your
figures quoted for this industry do not reflect infected plants
but damage of the leaf due to infection.  Not quite the same 
thing.  This I pointed out to you but it is now conveniently 
ignored.  Note resistant does not mean immune or non carrier.

There are many resistant strains/varieties of peppers as well.  
If such strain was infected how would the average gardener know?  
Need I say again anecdotal evidence should be treated with 
extreme caution.

More than I wanted to say but it will be all I have to say.

Peter.