We can prepare another virus that damages tomatoes

At the end of 2018, a new virus that was harmful to tomatoes came into the field of the profession and the authority, Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV). The viruses that can be easily spread, spread in many ways, make the crop unproductive. In order to reduce the risk of infection, we can take a number of precautions, the most important of which is the purchase of propagating material from a reliable source and the maintenance of general hygiene during cultivation and distribution, the thorough disinfection of used equipment and containers.

The ToBRFV virus belonging to the group of tobamo viruses was first detected in Europe in 2018 in Sicily and Germany. There is no information about the occurrence of our knowledge in Hungary yet. At the beginning of 2019, the pathogen was identified as a potential hazard to the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) awareness-raising list.

The ToBRFV is particularly dangerous because it can not only propagate with propagating material and crop, but also remains mechanically, by contact, on the surface of devices and objects.

The National Food Chain Safety Agency (Nébih) points out that it is in our common interest to report it to the county government office in case of suspicion of ToBRFV virus.

A TOMATO BROWN RUGOSE FRUIT VIRUS (TOBRFV)

Its main hosts are tomatoes and peppers, wild host plants of the black petiole ( Solanum nigrum ) and the stone libatop ( Chenopodium murale ). 

Verified Occurrences: The first officially confirmed virus was detected in Israel in 2014 and identified in 2015 in Jordan. In 2018, it was first identified in Sicily and Germany in Italy. In Sicily at the beginning of 2019, it appeared again. The infection in Germany was eliminated by the authority. European cases were isolated infections.

Tomato brown rugose fruit virus was listed at the beginning of 2019 in the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) Alert List, where non-quarantine organisms, but potentially harmful pests, are listed. In case of suspicion of this harmful agent, as a non-native non-native pest in Hungary, it must be reported to the County Government Office.

symptoms include:

Tomatoes can also be found on leaves and fruits. Most of the symptoms appear on the upper leaves of the plant, the surface of the leaf is wrinkled, rough, the chlorotic spots appear on it, the veins become yellow, and in some cases the leaf plate narrows.

Yellowish or brownish patches appear on the fruit, and their surface becomes rough later, making them unsuitable for fresh market sales. Fruits can grow irregularly and become deformed. 

The appearance and variations of the symptoms are influenced by the breed, light, temperature and nutrient content of the plant. The virus causes the most serious symptoms on young seedlings.

Why is it dangerous?

The virus can spread with seedlings and seeds, but its main danger lies in being able to stay infectious on mechanical devices, shoes, clothes, and packets used for the transport of tomatoes, so it can be easily transferred between drives. You can even reach the distance from a tomato crop from an infected area. 

There is another risk of the virus that the Tm-22 resistance gene developed for other tobamoviruses (TMV, ToMV) does not provide protection against it, so it can cause infection on resistant varieties.

To reduce the risk of infection, the following steps should be taken:

• providing nutrient supply from reproductive material from reliable sources,
• growing the plant under appropriate light and temperature conditions,
• balancing vegetative and generative parts
• removal of symptomatic plants
• application of hygiene procedures for both staff and equipment,
• disinfection of packaging and mechanical devices

Source: edenkert