While deciding not to use tobacco "juice" for an ultimate bombing run against the stink bugs that are giving my cowpeas and okra such hard times this year, I came across this item about tobacco mosaic virus that might interest someone:
The plants used in the test results offered in this .pdf:
were petunias and, strictly speaking, the results can't be assumed to apply generally ...but:
In short, in tests done on three petunia cultivars, chlorine bleach at 1:10 in water prevents transfer of specific tobacco mosaic virus from tools as well as "nonfat dry milk (20% wt/vol) + "Tween-20 (0.1%)" and new razor blades. Plain nonfat dry milk was next-best. Personally, and for many years I've used a spray of chlorine bleach 1:4 with water, as well as, 91% isopropyl on tools, knives, secateurs, etc. and wondered whether it "really" does any good but figured it can't hurt. At least, I can cut back on the bleach. Now, I'm wondering whether the acohol is overkill.... This is a caution against leaving the bleach on the cutting tools for much more than about a minute and a reminder to disinfect the various sticks, spoons, and other helpful doo-dahs that gardeners keep in our pockets.