Several kinds of symptoms have been described from India. Mosaic symptoms accompanied by ring spots or chlorotic spots which had a tendency to coalesce have been frequently reported.

Another mosaic virus described as mosaic and chlorotic rings that were more common on young leaves which make the plants stunted, producing malformed heads and shrivelled seeds.

Symptoms as small circular spots on leaves which coalesced to form typical mosaic pattern, cupping and malformation of leaves have also been reported.

Sunflower mosaic virus is reported to be mechanically sap transmitted and also by several aphid vectors.

The important vectors are Aphis gossypii, A.craccivora, A.malvae, Rhopalosiphum maidis in a non-persistant manner, both under laboratory and natural field conditions.

The host range of this virus ranged from narrow, infecting only the cultivars of sunflower to as many as more than 25 plant species belonging to different families.