First report of Tomato apical stunt viroid in Tunisia
In May 2005, the Plant Protection Service in the Netherlands received two samples of tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum) for diagnosis. These samples had been collected from a tomato glasshouse (2.5 ha) located near Kebili in Tunisia. Growth of the plants was reduced and leaves were chlorotic and brittle. Ripening of the fruits was delayed and their storage life was reduced from 3 weeks to 1 week. The grower reported that initially only 5% of plants showed symptoms; however, with the increase of temperatures in the production facility the number of symptomatic plants quickly reached 100%. Laboratory tests (indicator plants, RT-PCR, sequencing) confirmed the presence of Tomato apical stunt viroid (Pospiviroid, TASVd – EPPO Alert List) in affected tomato plants. This is the first report of TASVd in Tunisia.
The situation of Tomato apical stunt viroid in Tunisia can be described as follows: Present, first found in 2005, in one tomato glasshouse near Kebili.
Sources
Verhoeven JTJ, Jansen CCC, Roenhorst JW (2006) First report of Tomato apical stunt viroid in tomato in Tunisia. Plant Disease 90(4), p 528.