First report of Tomato torrado virus in Italy
In 2009 and 2010, approximately 2% of tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum) grown in a glasshouse in Italy (unspecified location) showed unusual disease symptoms. Affected plants showed leaf chlorosis followed by necrosis, and a substantial reduction of fruit production. Molecular tests were conducted on samples from 5 symptomatic tomato plants and detected the presence of Tomato torrado virus (ToTV - EPPO Alert List). In addition, serological tests were conducted on these 5 symptomatic plants and on 25 additional plants from the same glasshouse which displayed typical symptoms of Pepino mosaic virus (Potexvirus, PepMV - EPPO Alert List). PepMV was detected in all samples, as well as in 3 of the samples which had tested positively for ToTV, suggesting that mixed infections occurred in this glasshouse. All ToTV-infected plants were destroyed. This is the first time that ToTV is detected in Italy.
The situation of Tomato torrado virus in Italy can be described as follows: Transient, detected in 1 tomato glasshouse, all infected plants were destroyed.
Sources
Davino S, Bivona L, Iacono G, Davino M (2010) First report of Tomato torrado virus infecting tomato in Italy. Plant Disease 94(9), p 1172.