Melon Necrotic Spot Virus

(MNSV)

What is Melon Necrotic Spot Virus

(MNSV)?
MNSV is a plant virus that affects melon, watermelon and
cucumber plants. It causes brown (necrotic) spots on
leaves and stems and can also impact the quality of fruit
and lead to reductions in yield.

Symptoms
Rockmelon Figure 1. Leaf spots caused by MNSV (Photo Len
On rock melons the leaves may curl, wilt and have brown Tesoriero, NSW DPI)
and light coloured spots (Figure 1). On the outside of the
fruit, indentations and brown spots can appear (Figure 2),
whilst the flesh may become dark, hollow and rotten
(Figures 4 & 5).
Watermelon
In watermelons, small, transparent, yellow spots appear on
the youngest leaves. As the plant matures, the spots turn
brown and enlarge and the leaves curl, wilt and may die.
MNSV infected watermelon fruit often displays yellow or
brown spots on the skins (Figure 3). The fruit may also be
misshapen; with the flesh and rind becoming discoloured
hollow or watery (Figure 6). In some cases, the fruit may
decay while attached to the plant.
Symptoms can vary in severity and are often worse in
cooler climates. MSVN can easily be confused with
bacterial blotch of watermelon.
Figure 2. MNSV symptoms on the surface of rockmelon
Spread
MNSV is widespread in horticultural production areas
around the world.
It can be spread via infected seed, soil, water, irrigation
water, mechanical damage (grafting and plant-to-plant
contact) and the microscopic, fungus-like, root inhabiting
Olpidium bornovanus (O. bornovanus).
The virus can survive in soil for several years. Once the
plant is infected, MNSV persists for the life of the plant.

Figure 3. MNSV symptoms on the skin of watermelon

(Photo Len Tesoriero, NSW DPI)
Melon Necrotic Spot Virus (MNSV)
Figure 4. Mild symptoms of MNSV on rockmelon
Figure 5. Severe (left) and very mild (right) symptoms
of MNSV on rockmelons
Figure 6. Necrotic spots and deformation in watermelon
caused by MNSV (Photo Len Tesoriero, NSW DPI)
© The State of Victoria Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport
and Resources 2015
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Management Options
To prevent MNSV or reduce its spread in your crop:
 Ensure staff and visitors adhere to on farm biosecurity
and hygiene practices
 Use resistant varieties or graft onto resistant root stock
 Source seed, seedlings and graft material that is free of
virus and from a reliable supplier
 Heat treat seeds for 144 hours at 70°C, which may kill
the virus but still allow germination
 Test a proportion of seed and seedlings for MNSV
 Disinfect tools, propagating material and equipment with
sodium hypochlorite (1% solution of a 12% concentrate
of pool chlorine)
 Clean farm machinery, remove dirt and plant material
with a high pressure hose, if possible spray machinery
with 1% chlorine. Note chlorine will rust equipment and
needs to be washed off after application
 Remove, feral, volunteer or wild cucurbit plants, which
could otherwise act as reservoirs for the virus
 Remove infected plants and fruit from the crop
 Rotate crops out of cucurbits for three or more years to
avoid carry-over of both the virus and O. bornovanus
 Consider soil fumigation
 Plan to work on younger plants before the older ones
(the latter are more likely to be infected)
 Control insect pests, which may spread the virus
 Keep records of crop and paddock histories to enable
pest and disease impacts to be monitored and traced
 Ensure the virus is not carried to areas free of the
disease by runoff from rain or irrigation water.
Reporting and further information
Please report any suspect detections of MNSV to the
Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881 (toll-free) or
email plant.protection@ecodev.vic.gov.au with
photographs and a contact phone number.
For further information phone 136 186 for your local Plant
Biosecurity Officer or email.
plant.protection@ecodev.vic.gov.au.
To arrange for virus testing, phone Crop Health Services
on (03) 9032 7515.
Accessibility
If you would like to receive this publication in an alternative format, please
telephone the DEDJTR Customer Service Centre on 136186, email
customer.service@ecodev.vic.gov.au or via the National Relay Service on 133
677 www.relayservice.com.au. This document is also available on the internet at
www.agriculture.vic.gov.au
Disclaimer
This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its
employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is
wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability
for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on
any information in this publication.