Sweet pea virus

[Monika]

My husband's carefully grown and cordoned sweet peas have almost all succumbed to mosaic virus, in spite of careful hygiene when cutting etc. By the time he discovered the first attack, the aphids had obviously 'done the deed' and spraying then didn't really do any good. Is there anything he could do BEFORE an aphid attack to try to keep the virus out? It's interesting to note that all the un-cordoned sweet peas which are just doing their own thing, are growing and flowering away strongly without sign of disease.

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Monika, i don't know if you are picking the sweetpeas that are being left to there own devices, but if your not i think the virus is being passed on by touch or cutting of tendrils, sideshoots or flowers. The trouble is, it can be passed on before you hardly notice you have it.
It does seem funny the aphids are doing it if the natural ones are not effected.

[Monika]

Thanks OH, we feared it might be the cutting and cordoning that's the problem. The plants are probably being stressed and therefore become more susceptible to the virus.