Tomato mottle mosaic virus in seed accessions in Europe
Tomato mottle mosaic virus (Tobamovirus, ToMMV- EPPO Alert List) was first described in 2013 from a tomato crop sampled in 2009 in Mexico. It was subsequently found in the Americas, Asia and Europe causing infections on tomato and capsicum crops. However, there are questions about the real distribution of ToMMV worldwide. A study was conducted where historical seed accessions of Solanum lycopersicum and Capsicum spp. (including wild relatives) from the collection of the Centre of Genetic Resources, the Netherlands (CGN), were tested for ToMMV by real-time RT-PCR and Illumina sequencing. Seeds had been produced in France, Spain, and the Netherlands. Tomato seed produced in the Netherlands in 2007, in France in 2010 and 2011, and capsicum seed produced in Spain in 2015 and 2016 were positive for ToMMV.
This data shows that ToMMV has occurred in Europe before its first description and is possibly more widespread than currently known.
Sources
Schoen R, de Koning P, Oplaat C, Roenhorst A, Westenberg M, van der Gaag DJ, Barnhoorn R, Koenraadt H, van Dooijeweert W, Lievers R, Woudt B (2023) Identification of Tomato mottle mosaic virus in historic seed accessions originating from France, the Netherlands and Spain, indicates a wider presence before its first description. European Journal of Plant Pathology (early view). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-023-02677-0