The genome sequence of lettuce necrotic stunt virus indicates a close relationship to Moroccan pepper virus.

Lettuce necrotic stunt virus (LNSV) causes severe losses to lettuce production in the western United States, which results in stunting, necrosis and death on all non-crisphead lettuces, as well as flower abortion and yield losses in greenhouse tomato production. The genome of LNSV was sequenced and has an organization typical of viruses of the genus Tombusvirus. Sequence comparisons indicated that much of the genome is relatively closely related to tomato bushy stunt virus; however, the coat protein is very closely related to that of isolates of Moroccan pepper virus (MPV).