phloem. The infected beet leafhoppers are able to infect various plants for the rest of their lifetime. Hosts BCTV has been known to affect more than 300 plant species from 44 different families. Sugar beets are known to be the main host for this virus but it also affect many plants including beans, celery, spinach, melons, peppers, squashes, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Younger plants seem to be more susceptible to damage and developed more symptoms from the virus compared to adult plants. It has been shown that the BCTV tend to infect more dicotyledonous hosts while no monocotyledonous plants have been recognized as a host for this virus. Symptoms Plants that are infected will tend to display early symptoms within 5 days. The BCTV causes many symptoms including: Vein swelling (the earliest and most common symptom) Leaf curling Yellowing of leaves with purple veins Necrosis and hyperplasia of the phloem Fruit deformation Premature fruit ripening Reduced fruit quality and yield Stunting Death of young seedlings Environment The beet leafhopper is commonly found in tropical and subtropical countries that have warm climates. They have been found to be residing within the Western part of the United States, Mexico, South America, and the Old World (the Mediterranean basin and the Middle East). During the winter in California, the beet leafhopper would migrate to the foothill of the coastal range located on the west side of the Central Valley and lay eggs in the perennial weeds and buckhorn plantains. When the nymphs of beet leafhoppers are born, they would consume the infected weeds and plants causing them to acquire the virus. During the mid to late spring, the adult leafhoppers would travel to the agricultural area of the Central Valley to infect other healthy plants and weeds. As fall approaches, the adult leafhoppers migrate back to the foothill and begin the process again. Environmental impacts The BCTV caused many problems for farmers. When the virus was first recognized in 1907, California farmers were detrimentally affected and had a large yield loss in crops. Other states including Idaho were also greatly affected by the virus. The BCTV nearly wiped out Idaho's sugar beet industry until they effectively developed sugar beets that were resistant to the virus in 1935. From the early 1900s till now, farmers are still having difficulties in containing this virus. In 2001, the Central Valley located in California had an enormous loss