Sweet Potato Virus Disease (SPVD)Identification & Treatment Guide 2026
Sweet potato feathery mottle virus (SPFMV) + Sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus (SPCSV) · Family: Potyviridae + Closteroviridae
Sweet potato virus disease (SPVD) is caused by co-infection of SPFMV (aphid-borne) and SPCSV (whitefly-borne), causing severe stunting, leaf distortion, and 80-98% yield loss. Use virus-free planting material from certified nurseries, resistant varieties (NASPOT series), rogue infected plants, and control whitefly populations. Vine tip cuttings from healthy-looking plants reduce virus load.
Scan This Plant NowQuick Diagnosis
criticalSweet Potato Virus Disease (SPVD)
- Affects
- leavesvinesstorage roots
- Peak Season
- Year-round in tropical Africa; severity increases where both vector populations (aphids and whiteflies) overlap
- Spread Risk
- Moderate
- Spread By
- SPFMV: aphids (non-persistent). SPCSV: whitefly Bemisia tabaci (semi-persistent). Different vectors for each component.
Scan this crop with our free app
Upload a photo → AI diagnosis in seconds.
Symptoms: What does Sweet Potato Virus Disease (SPVD) look like?
Visual identification guide — tap each stage for details
Mild vein clearing and feathery mottling
Faint vein clearing and feathery mosaic patterns appear on young leaves. If only one virus is present, symptoms remain mild.
Severe leaf distortion and purpling
When both viruses co-infect, dramatic symptoms develop: leaves become severely distorted, stunted, strap-shaped, and often show purple discoloration. Vein clearing becomes pronounced.
Extreme stunting and yield collapse
Plants are severely stunted with tiny, distorted leaves and thin, short vines. Storage roots are few, small, and fibrous. Yield loss reaches 80-98% compared to virus-free plants. Plants may become unrecognizable as sweet potato.
Share this guide with a fellow farmer
Available offline · Free forever
Diagnose Sweet Potato Virus Disease (SPVD) right now.
Point your camera at any leaf. Get a diagnosis in seconds — even without internet. Works in the field, in the forest, anywhere.
New on Google Play
