Pepino mosaic potexvirus found in one tomato glasshouse in France
Pepino mosaic potexvirus (EPPO Alert List) has very recently been found on tomato for the first time in France. It was observed in one glasshouse in Guipavas, Bretagne, growing both tomato and cucumber (the virus only attacks tomatoes). 3 hectares of glasshouse of tomato and cucumber will be destroyed and the premises will be disinfected. The origin of this outbreak is unknown.
Note: Pepino mosaic potexvirus was originally described in Peru on pepino (Solanum muricatum). The EPPO Secretariat wondered whether this crop was grown in Europe. Dr F. Nuez kindly provided some information. Pepino is beginning to be grown in Spain on a commercial scale, but this remains a very small production (probably less than 10 ha). There are scattered small fields, mainly on the Mediterranean coast, and pepino is essentially grown under glass. There are reports of experimental fields in the Netherlands, Germany, France, Poland, Belgium and Italy and of some commercial fields in Israel.
Sources
NPPO of France, 2000-03.
INTERNET Brèves du Ministère de l'Agriculture
http://www.agriculture.gouv.fr/actu/brv/welcome.html
Personal communication with Dr F. Nuez, Departamento de Biotecnologia, Universidad Politecnica de Valencia, ES (2000-03)