The plant health authorities in the United Kingdom have confirmed a second outbreak of tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) at a tomato production site. It is believed that the outbreak is most likely to have occurred as a result of reinfection from a previous outbreak on the same site in the West Midlands in 2019.
The outbreak is the first in the country since 2020, and the disease had been declared as eradicated in December 2021. Eradication measures are now being implemented at the affected site.
Growers are being urged to be vigilant for signs of the disease and to report any suspected signs of ToBRFV to the relevant authority (the local APHA Plant Health and Seeds Inspector in England and Wales, the Scottish Government’s Horticulture and Marketing Unit, or DAERA Plant Health Inspection in Northern Ireland).
Although mainly found on tomatoes, the disease has also been detected on Capsicum, with symptoms on tomato including mild to severe mosaic, narrowing and discolouration of the foliage, and the formation of brown and wrinkled (rugose) patches on infected fruits, with some fruit being misshapen or turning yellow.