In Mexico, Tomato brown rugose fruit virus was first observed in 2018 in Michoacán. Further surveys were carried out to assess the presence of the virus in Mexico. As of February 2019, 117 outbreaks were found in 20 States (Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Colima, Durango, Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Michoacán, Morelos, Puebla, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tamaulipas, Yucatán, Zacatecas). ToBRFV is causing damage on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and Capsicum sp. crops. The EPPO gives an update on the situation, as a positive sample for ToBRFV was also detected in aubergine (Solanum melongena) in the municipality of Elota (State of Sinaloa) in December 2018.
This is the first reported case on S. melongena. It may be noted that in another study, inoculation trials did not result in virus transmission to S. melongena (cv. Classic, cv. 206 - Luria et al., 2017).
Phytosanitary measures are applied to mitigate the entry and spread of ToBRFV on the Mexican territory. They include phytosanitary requirements for the importation of seeds, seedlings, plants and cuttings of tomato, capsicum and aubergine as well as national regulation for the production of propagative material of tomato, capsicum and aubergine.
European situation
In Italy, the Tomato brown rugose fruit virus was first observed in 2019 in Sicily and in May 2019 in Piemonte in a greenhouse producing tomato fruit. Eradication measures were immediately applied (destruction by incineration of all plants in the greenhouse and disinfection of facilities). Official surveys were carried out in
the area surrounding the affected greenhouse and no further outbreak was found. This outbreak is therefore considered eradicated, the EPPO reporting service shares.
European institutes
Under pressure from several virus-free member states, a European-level decision was taken last month to assign Q status to ToBRFV, in order to prevent the virus from spreading further.
The Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) will get a quarantine status (Q status), starting November 1. From that day on, a European emergency regulation will come into force, which includes that each case of the virus in Europe must be made public. The decision was made by the European Commission in July. For tomato and bell pepper, specific measures will apply, with introduction and movement of the virus in the EU being prohibited.
The measures will be in force from November 1, both for bell pepper and tomato growers as well as breeding companies and young plant growers that work with one or both crops.