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Fig Mosaic Virus

I have a couple of trees that developed this disfiguration of the leaves and its terminal buds growing to the side
I think it may be this FMV or Stress
its just horrible whats happening to these trees
I have read all I can find but I'm still not sure of what to do
last year they where cuttings and looked great
but this year they started off with a lot of Brebas but the leaves are growing all deformed and most of the figs have fallen off
is there anything that can be done to help out these little trees and is this contagious to other fig trees or plants 

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Yes i can see the FmV in your leaves . For newer members that may not be familar with it - Example the bottom right corner of picture that leaf has the darker spots in it. The rust type of spots is not FmV the deformed leaves is also part of FmV.
There really nothing that we can do as general caretakers of fig plants other than fertilize the plants on a schedule and give them as much heat as possible in our zones. Most fig plants with FmV grow normal and produce figs normal and as plant ages most also look better with an ocassional deformed leaf. There are exceptions i have encountered such as ischia black which  tends to be severly affected by it, grows very very slow, displays nearly all deformed leaves mine is going into its 3rd season and is just showing thick very ruff to the touch small leaves. My VdB also is showing it going into its 3rd season but not even close as bad, is leafed out and growing its third set of leaves on the branches already and will produce good amount of figs despite the FmV. I have not seen FmV leave a plant it may hide and not be noticeable hardly as it did in my VdB mid summer last year but its in the cells of the plant i have read. FmV in severe cases can slow down the cells from multiplying themselves normally at a fast pace therfore the plant grows very slow such as in the ischia black along with creating other problems ie leaf deformity and such. 
FmV is said to move slow thruout a plant a reason some branches may not display it at a particular time it should be noted.
Also from some readings and not for the average fig plant grower there is a way to cure FmV by extracting the meristem from a just emerged bud which has a high percentage that its not yet infected due to the virus being slow to move in the plant useing a type of microscope and peeling back the many layers covering the meristem to actually see it and propagating it under strict sterile labratory conditions useing special chemicals and mix to propagate it as it has been done in other types of plants such as tobacco and potato plants . Also the new plant can be reinfected by a type of biteing mite i forget what they call it and or uncleaned pruning shears that were last used on an infected plant.
I just started today my aero cloner back up useing fresh cut growth instead of hardwood off some of my fig plants trying to propagate them for fun nothing to do with FmV and it is my hope one day to get some cuttings from my black ischia to experiment with in hopes of catching one small branch several inches long that has yet to be infected by the slow moving virus but the odds are way against me in those regards as i dont know if i can even get the new green cuttings i cut today to root yet i just started today. Im trying to get a cutting off the ischia black but because of its very very slow growth the virus catchess up even with the new growth.  Its a lot of fun for me but im no expert and do not pretend to be its only things i have read. ; ) 
Brebas falling off is normal in many cold areas in spring thats nothing to worry about as some plants do drop them fast , here near chicago mine always fall or i knock them off, once in a while i will get one to hang on and make it but here there not nearly as good as the main crop.
In a small way i hope this helps you and does not discourage you from letting the plant grow and see what it does eventually . If you prune it one day make sure you clean the tool well before its next use.


Thanks Martin

I have these plants inground in pots the greenhouse and the soil is not that warm yet 
I have heard that you shouldn't fertilize to much if the soil is not above 65F it will do more harm than good I have given it some in half diluted once a week
but have not noticed any change in the growing pattern
I will just keep hoping that they make it through and produce fruit

Thanks again Martin for the information  



In most cases it is relatively benign, and simply makes nice color patterns in the leaves, and some distorted leaves early, and sometimes later in the season. It cannot be cured, and in most cases in a non-issue.

My Celestes look far worse than that this Spring, but the will grow out of it in a few weeks, and have a normal season.

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