First reports of tomato fruit blotch virus in France and in Belgium
A recent pest risk assessment, published by Anses, reports the first finding of tomato fruit blotch virus (Blunervirus solani - ToFBV - EPPO Alert List) in France. ToFBV has been identified in 6 departments in tomato crops (14 outbreaks in total) in the Nouvelle Aquitaine region (Lot-et-Garonne department, in 2023 and 2024), in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region (Var, Bouches-du-Rhône, Vaucluse departments in 2024) and in Occitanie (Gard, Pyrénées-Orientales departments in 2024). In all cases, the tomato russet mite (Aculops lycopersici) was also present.
In France, observations from several outbreaks report percentages of plants bearing symptomatic fruits varying from 2 to 10% for crops grown using conventional agricultural practices (1 outbreak in soil-free greenhouse and 1 outbreak under a tunnel), 10% and more rarely up to 20% for crops under a tunnel in organic farming (2 outbreaks). No symptoms were observed on leaves.
It is noted that ToFBV was also recently identified from plant material collected in 2017.
The risk assessment concludes that the phytosanitary risk of ToFBV for France and EU Member States is low to moderate with a high uncertainty.
The situation of tomato fruit blotch virus in France can be described as: Present, not widely distributed and not under official control.
The risk assessment also reports the first finding of ToFBV in a greenhouse producing organic tomato fruit in Belgium, in a mixed infection with tomato marchitez virus (Torradovirus marchitezum – ToMarV – EU A1 Quarantine Pest) and Southern tomato virus (Amalgavirus lycopersici – STV). Symptoms on fruits were observed on 20 to 30 different varieties and prevented their marketing. This finding had also been reported by Luigi et al. (2024). The NPPO of Belgium indicated that both reports are about the same finding in 2022 in one organic tomato growing company in East-Flanders. Samples were collected in the framework of a research project (HARMSTAT). All tomato plants at this location were destroyed. In 2023, no clear damage nor positive findings were reported. A new research project (VIRISK) was carried out in the same site and in 2024 a positive sample was detected again. The current research focuses (among other things) on finding the reservoir where the virus could survive as all tomato plants were always destroyed at this location.
The NPPO made a correction stating that the virus detected together with ToFBV in 2022 was tomato matilda virus (TMaV - Iflaviridae) and not tomato marchitez virus (ToMarV). Tomato matilda virus is a new species in the family Iflaviridae for which little data is available.
The pest status of tomato fruit blotch virus in Belgium is officially declared as: Present, transient.
The pest status of tomato marchitez virus in Belgium is officially declared as: Absent, pest not recorded.
Sources
Anses (2025) AVIS de l’Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l’alimentation, de l’environnement et du travail relatif à « l’évaluation du risque lié au tomato fruit blotch virus (ToFBV) pour la France métropolitaine » 20pp. https://www.anses.fr/fr/system/files/SANTVEG2024-AUTO-0092.pdf
Luigi M, Tiberini A, Taglienti A, Bertin S, Dragone I, Sybilska A, Tarchi F, Goggioli D, Lewandowski M, Simoni S, Faggioli F (2024) Molecular methods for the simultaneous detection of tomato fruit blotch virus and identification of tomato russet mite, a new potential virus–vector system threatening solanaceous crops worldwide. Viruses 16(5), 806. https://doi.org/10.3390/v16050806
NPPO of Belgium (2025-04).