First report of tomato fruit blotch virus in Sicilia (Italy)
In Italy, tomato fruit blotch virus (ToFBV - Blunervirus solani, EPPO Alert List) was first reported in Lazio in 2018 (EPPO RS 2020/184). In December 2023, tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum) cultivated in different greenhouses located in Ragusa province (Sicilia, Italy) showed circular or irregular chlorotic blotches in tomato fruit, while no symptoms were observed in young or middle leaves. Symptomatic plants were tested by real-time RT-PCR and were found positive for ToFBV. Eradication measures are underway in Sicilia to contain this outbreak.
Sources
Panno S, Ragona A, Bertacca S, Agrò G, Yahyaoui E, Dimauro B, Caruso AG, Davino S (2023) Outbreak of tomato fruit blotch virus in the most relevant tomato greenhouse production area of Sicily. Journal of Plant Pathology (early view) https://doi.org/10.1007/s42161-024-01623-1