Update on the situation of tomato brown rugose fruit virus in Spain
The Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (Tobamovirus, ToBRFV – EPPO Alert List) was first detected in Spain in October 2019 in one greenhouse in the municipality of Vícar, Almería province (Andalucía) (EPPO RS 2019/238). As a result of delimiting surveys, the presence of ToBRFV has been confirmed in two new tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) greenhouses in Vicar and El Ejido (Almeria) with surfaces of 1.36 ha and 0.50 ha respectively. In these two greenhouses, plants had been grown from the same seed lot as in the first glasshouse found to be infected. In other greenhouses where the same seed lot has been used, the presence of ToBRFV was not detected.
Surveys carried out in other tomato greenhouses owned by the two producers who had the findings in their greenhouses, detected the presence of ToBRFV in two new greenhouses both in Vicar (Almería) with an area of 1.13 ha and 0.99 ha respectively. Later in January, another greenhouse in Vicar (0.89 ha) was found to be infected. As the first reported case was on grafted tomatoes, surveys were also carried out in the greenhouse where the rootstock had been produced and did not detect ToBRFV. In total, 6 greenhouses were found infected: 5 in Vicar and 1 in El Ejido, both in Almería province (Andalucía), covering an area of 6.25 ha. A total of 55 970 plants of tomato have been destroyed. Eradication measures are applied.
The pest status of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus in Spain is officially declared as: Present, under eradication.
Sources
NPPO of Spain (2019-12, 2020-02).
INTERNET
Boletín Oficial de la Junta de Andalucía (BOJA) https://www.juntadeandalucia.es/boja/2020/21/31