Tomato brown rugose fruit virus

Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) is plant Tobamovirus that affects tomato, capsicum and chilli. It is a National Priority Plant Pest which poses a serious biosecurity risk to the vegetable industry in Australia.

Have you seen this pest?

Symptoms of ToBRFV in fruits include:

• chlorotic (yellow) spotting and marbling of fruits
• deformation and uneven ripening
• brown rugose (wrinkled) patches.

Symptoms of ToBRFV in leaves include:

• Chlorosis (yellowing)
• Mosaic pattern and mottling on younger leaves
• Crumpling and deformation
• Blister-like appearance on the top surface of leaves.

What should I do?

• Report immediately
• Share your photo/s with us using the online public reporting form OR
• Call the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline 1800 084 881
• Please take good quality photos of the pest and/or damage to include in your report. For tips see our guide to how to take good photos for a report.

Why is it a pest of concern?

ToBRFV is a harmful pest that causes serious economic damage to tomato, capsicum and chilli crops. It can cause yield losses of up to 70% and reduce marketable fruit yield by 10-15%.

ToBRFV spreads incredibly quickly and easily and can be difficult to manage once present in an environment. It easily overcomes the Tm-2² resistance gene that is commonly used against other serious Tobamoviruses. There are no tomato, capsicum or chilli varieties that are immune to ToBRFV infection.

Pest profile

Host plants in Australia

• Major hosts of ToBRFV are tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), capsicum (Capsicum anuum) and chilli (Capsicum anuum).
• Some weeds, such as fat hen (Chenapodium murale), quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), Petunia hybrids (garden plants) and black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) can act as reservoirs for the ToBRFV, allowing the virus to remain viable between growing seasons

Distribution

• ToBRFV was first reported in 2014 on tomatoes in Israel. It has since been reported in Europe, the Middle East, China, Mexico and the United States. The wide distribution of ToBRFV has been attributed the global movement of seed.

Spread

ToBRFV is easily spread through:

• trade of infected seed, plants for planting, grafts and cutting
• direct plant to plant contact
• touch transmission by handling contaminated tools, gloves, equipment and clothing
• It can survive in seeds, plant debris and contaminated soil for months
• Bumblebees have also been documented to spread ToBRFV during pollination activities.

Prevention

• Practice good plant hygiene
• Source seed, seedlings and graft material that is free of ToBRFV from a reputable supplier
• Test a proportion of seed and seedlings for ToBRFV (see Crop Health Services)
• Monitor crops regularly for symptoms of ToBRFV
• Ensure sure staff and visitors comply with on-farm biosecurity and hygiene practices
• Disinfect tools, propagating material and equipment with sodium hypochlorite (diluted to 1% available chlorine)
• Remove volunteer or wild tomato plants that could act as reservoirs for the virus.

Image credits

• Figure 1. Photo courtesy of Aviv Dombrovsky, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center
• Figure 2. photo courtesy of Luria et al., Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0170429
• Figure 3. photo courtesy of Luria et al., Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0170429
• Figure 4. photo courtesy of Diana Godinez, EPPO Global Database
• Figure 5. photo courtesy of Raed Alkowni, EPPO Global Database