January 2020 - 20

TOMATOES
Tomato brown rugose fruit virus concerns US growers
By Stephen Kloosterman
Associate Editor
Growers and officials across the
country are watching produce aisles
for imported tomatoes with tomato
brown rugose fruit virus, or ToBRFV,
which they say could disrupt domestic
growers of tomatoes and peppers.
Although tomato seeds or plants
can contract the virus at any stage,
the symptoms often are not displayed
until the tomato turns red, said
Michigan State University Extension
Educator Ron Goldy. The virus was
first reported to be in tomatoes in
Israel in 2013.
" It's fairly new, and has moved
around since then, " he said.
Many tomatoes are shipped
green, and even many vine-ripened
tomatoes are not shipped fully red,
so it's possible for the virus to go
undetected until reaching grocery
stores, he said. While the virus isn't
harmful to people, visibly blotchy
fruit are unmarketable.
" It could be a real problem, and
we don't need another problem, "
Goldy said. " It's one more thing in an
industry that doesn't have a big profit
margin to begin with. "
Growers in many locations have
some degree of concern. The Florida
Department of Agriculture and
Consumer Services in early October,
reported it had recently identified
the virus in packaged, Mexico-grown
tomatoes. Florida officials found infected
tomatoes in Naples and Gainsville
and destroyed them. University of
California, Davis plant pathologist Bob
Gilbertson recently spoke to openfield
tomato growers about the virus.
" Mexican-grown tomatoes carrying
the ToBRFV virus are a serious
A
E
I
F
G
H
Naturally infected tomato plants with tomato brown rugose fruit virus (A-C)
Symptomatic mosaic pattern on leaves of cluster tomato plants cv. Mose. (C)Narrowing
leaves of cluster tomato plants. (D) Dried peduncles and calyces on cherry tomato plants
cv. Shiran leading to fruit abscission. (E) Necrotic symptoms on pedicle, calyces and
petioles cv. Ikram. (F) Typical fruit symptoms with yellow spots cv. Mose. (G-I) Variable
symptoms of tomato fruits cv. Odelia. (G) The typical disease symptoms. (H) Symptoms
of mixed infections by the abundant TSWV and the new tobamovirus isolate. (I) Unique
symptoms of the new tobamovirus isolate found at a single location at Sde-Nitzan
village. Photo: Neta Luria et al PLOS (Public Library of Science) ONE
threat to Florida, the nation's leading
producer of tomatoes and a $262
million industry in our state, " said
Florida Agriculture Commissioner
Nicole Fried. " We need the USDA
to step up, initiate tracebacks to
Mexican producers, and fulfill its
responsibility to protect American
growers and consumers. "
In November, Fred Leitz, a vineripened
tomato grower near Sodus
in southwest Michigan, saw a
blotchy tomato at a store, and he
contacted Goldy.
" If a grower sees it (ToBRFV) in
Michigan, he needs to buy it and get it
to Michigan State so they can test it, "
Leitz said.
USDA Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) said it
will restrict tomato and pepper
imports that could be carrying
ToBRFV. The temporary measure
began Nov. 22, 2019.
" APHIS will require tomato and
pepper fruit imported from Mexico,
Israel and the Netherlands (countries
approved to export tomatoes where
ToBRFV is present) to be inspected
at the point of origin to ensure it is
free of disease symptoms, " according
to APHIS's order. " Because Canada
Although tomato seeds
or plants can contract
the virus at any stage,
the symptoms often are
not displayed until the
tomato turns red.
The virus is spread by seed as
well as by physical contact, Goldy
said. He's most concerned about the
infection cropping up at an industry
" bottleneck, " such as batch of seeds
or a greenhouse growing tomato
plants for transplant, that would affect
many growers at once. Unfortunately,
it's thought to be a " stable " virus,
meaning it could live on in the ground
for quite some time after infected
plants are destroyed.
If infection of the virus occurs,
Goldy said, control would be similar
to how growers currently deal with
tobacco mosaic virus or tomato
spotted wilt. Sanitation practices
for field workers, greenhouses and
equipment can help contain its spread.
" We have the tools and knowledge as
to how to handle it, " he said. VGN
Siegers...more than seed
70-75 days. Resistance: Aal(HR)
Ss(IR), TSWV(IR)
RED SNAPPER
, TYLCVIs(IR)
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, Fol1,2(HR)
, Vd1(HR)
,
Very good hot set potential. Fruit are an
attractive red color, firm, and have good
shelf life. Suited for both mature green
and vine ripe markets.
70-75 days. Resistance: TMV0(HR), TSWV(IR)
Uniform large to extra large
,
Xcv0-10(IR)
fruit has firm, thick walls, mostly 4-lobed.
Good quality and shape, excellent place
pack variety, high yield potential.
MERCER
72-78 days. Resistance: Pc(IR)
,TMV0(HR)
Xcv0-3,7,8(HR) Well suited for production in
the Northeast where Phytophthora Capsici
is a problem. Plants are strong with good
cover and produce high quality large to
extra-large smooth fruit.
,
Midseason, 74 days. Resistance: Aal(IR)
Fol1,2(IR), Mi(IR), Ss(HR)
MARIANA
, Vd1(IR)
Extra-large
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Thick fruit walls, exceptional shelf life.
Jointed with uniform green shoulders.
Very firm.
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18 | VegetableGrowersNews.com
SIEGERS
EED CO.
,
B
C
D
imports tomato and pepper fruit
from Mexico that are re-exported
to this country, APHIS will also
require tomato and pepper fruit from
Canada to be inspected at the point
of origin to ensure it is free of disease
symptoms. In addition, U.S. Customs
and Border Protection will increase
inspections at U.S. ports of entry to
ensure imported tomato and pepper
fruit entering from Mexico, Israel, the
Netherlands and Canada do not show
any signs of disease upon arrival. "
http://www.siegers.com http://www.VegetableGrowersNews.com
January 2020

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