While the population hopes for the end of the Corona pandemic, tomato producers are preparing for the next virus. This virus will not affect humans, at least not directly. But in the worst case, part of the local tomato production is at stake. Since last year, it has been clear that the globally feared ToBRFV has definitely arrived in Switzerland, LID reports.
This causes great damage, particularly in tomatoes and hot peppers. The virus spreads rapidly, is extremely resistant and can only be removed from affected greenhouses with great effort. If you do nothing when an infestation occurs, you can forget about tomato production in the following years. According to the Plant Health Ordinance, the virus is listed as a so-called potential quarantine organism and must therefore be reported and controlled.
This only applies to suspicious situations, as in the case of the Thurgau farm where Swiss tomatoes tested positive for the first time last summer. The vegetable grower concerned noticed slight discolorations on the fruit. After immediately blocking the farm, the cantonal plant protection service carried out the measures foreseen in accordance with the official Jordan virus emergency plan of the Federal Plant Protection Service (EPSD). In the canton of Thurgau in the person of Florian Sandrini.
Preventing the spread of the virus
When a quarantine is officially ordered, access for employees is immediately reduced to a minimum; nothing is allowed in or out. After the positive PCR test, every minute counts. "The aim is to prevent infected material from leaving the plant and the virus from spreading further," explains Florian Sandrini. What comes at such a moment to the farm manager, he says, is above all also psychologically stressful. For this reason, the identity of the farm was deliberately not disclosed.
"This is done to prevent media people from suddenly standing around on the farm and obstructing the work," says Sandrini. And this is intensive in the first phase: For example, possible entry routes of the virus into the greenhouse must be searched for immediately. Above all, the obligatory plant passport is important here, with which the origin of seedlings or seeds can be clearly identified and other vegetable farms can be informed of a possible danger. The risk of transmission via seedlings is considered particularly high. However, it is also transmitted via seeds, irrigation, vegetable crates or tools. Experiences from infected farms abroad show that the original source of infection can usually no longer be clearly identified. This also applies to the affected farm in Thurgau. Often the infestation is discovered too late, also because the symptoms are not clearly recognizable.
The Jordan virus
The Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV) was first detected in Israel in 2014, which is why it is also called Jordan virus. Since then, it has been spreading worldwide. It is one of the Tobamo viruses that are particularly dangerous to plants. There is no danger for humans. The Jordan virus leads to total failure, especially in tomato crops, if it is not eliminated. It is highly aggressive and remains highly contagious even when diluted. It survives temperatures up to 90 degrees and is said to be infectious even after 50 years in dried plant sap. It is transmitted via young plants, seeds, tools such as knives or scissors, transport boxes, and hands, clothing or hair.
Eradication is more difficult in organic greenhouses
Florian Sandrini also identified possible ways of spreading contaminated material from the farm as quickly as possible, for example via transport. Further potential sources of infection in the surrounding area were ruled out with samples. Finally, the virus was eradicated. This involved clearing the entire infected plant stock and disposing of it in a waste incineration plant. The greenhouse, including all equipment, is lathered several times with a disinfectant. It is more difficult for organic farms than for hors-sol farms because the crops there grow in the soil.
Experts believe that the Jordan virus can survive there for up to 50 years. Sandrini expects that the Thurgau farm will be allowed to resume production in February if all tests are negative. Part of the high costs for cleaning, disposal and the expenses of the plant protection service will be borne by the federal government and the canton. The state also partially pays for the loss of income, although the amount varies between the cantons. One thing is clear: a considerable part of the costs remain with the farms. And that scares many in the industry. Also because they have now seen for the first time with their Thurgau colleagues what a Jordan virus infection really means.
Prevention is everything
Although the first tomato varieties resistant to the Jordan virus are already available and research is also being carried out into a vaccination, at the moment the main thing vegetable producers can do is take preventive measures to stop the virus from entering the greenhouse. These include not only strict access regulations or regular testing of plants, but also the consistent wearing of protective clothing and, above all, the cleaning of tools such as harvesting knives. The federal government also has monitoring carried out for early detection, with experts in protective suits taking preventive samples in greenhouses in all regions of Switzerland.
However, the whole thing is reminiscent of looking for a needle in a haystack. Nevertheless, the Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG) is sticking to its guns. Since the virus has only appeared once in Switzerland, the criteria for regulation are still given and official control is worthwhile in order to prevent major damage to tomato production, media spokeswoman Florie Marion informs us on request. However, the industry agrees that it is not a question of if, but when the Jordan virus will finally spread in Switzerland. Despite all prevention.
Livelyhoods at stake
Despite all precautionary measures, it can affect any vegetable grower. In a modern greenhouse specializing in tomato cultivation, several million francs are then quickly at stake, simply through loss of income. The Association of Swiss Vegetable Producers (VSGP) is in favor of and supports the prescribed measures of the federal government. "The industry agrees that everything must be done to combat the virus," says Michael Amstalden of VSGP. Nevertheless, drastic measures should be well considered.
At the same time, part of the harvest could still be sold if this grows in an area that is not affected. According to legal EU principles - and Switzerland is also subject to these in the Jordan virus case within the framework of the bilateral agricultural agreements - tomatoes from affected farms may be marketed under certain conditions. In Holland, for example, this is apparently already being done on a large scale to enable the farms to survive. There, more than 500 hectares of greenhouse land are affected.
Also in the case in the canton of Thurgau, non-symptomatic tomatoes from the non-infested compartments reached the sales outlets after it had been ensured that there was no danger to other production farms through the transport routes. According to the BLW, current scientific knowledge indicates that there is only a minimal risk from these fruits. Michael Amstalden believes that this possibility of selling the fruit is important: "It allows affected producers to at least somewhat reduce the immense costs caused by the loss of yield. There are concerns among market gardeners as to whether the state funds will be sufficient in the medium term to cover even part of the loss of income. Private insurance is not really an option either. AXA Winterthur has withdrawn from the affected business segment as of this year, and a corresponding offer from the horticultural insurance company Schweizer Hagel is currently suspended.
The first tomatoes in greenhouses have been planted, many hermetically sealed off from the outside world. Some tomato producers are already experimenting with Jordan virus-resistant varieties. Many have put their hopes on these. Until a permanent solution is found, it is a question of bridging the next few years.
Source: lid
