Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), colloquially known as “rugose virus”, is a newly emerging virus that poses a significant phytosanitary threat to tomato and pepper crops worldwide. ToBRFV is very stable and is very efficiently transmitted by contact, through infected seeds and, experimentally, it has been shown that bumble bees can also transmit it (Levitzky et al., 2019). This virus is able to overcome the tobamovirus resistance genes that carry most commercial tomato varieties (Luria et al., 2017). The symptoms of the ToBRFV-induced disease make it a serious threat due to the large economic losses it could generate in the affected crops.

At Abiopep S.L. we have developed molecular detection methods for ToBRFV using specific probes based on the TaqMan technology (quantitative RT-PCR). These methods are capable of detecting ToBRFV with high sensitivity and precision. We have experimentally determined that these probes do not cross-react with other tomato-affecting tobamoviruses, thus minimizing the risk of false results. Therefore, in Abiopep S.L. we offer a diagnostic tool capable of producing fast and reliable results for any suspected ToBRFV-infected sample. In addition, we can carry out prospective surveys for monitoring crops to detect ToBRFV, according with the new regulations published by the European Union to prevent the introduction and spread of this dangerous virus.

References:

 Levitzky, N., Smith, E., Lachman, O., Luria, N., Mizrahi, Y., Bakelman, H., Sela, N., Laskar, O., Milrot, E., y Dombrovsky, A. (2019) «The bumblebee Bombus terrestris carries a primary inoculum of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus contributing to disease spread in tomatoes», PLOS ONE, 14(1), p. e0210871. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0210871.

Luria, N., Smith, E., Reginold, V., Bekelman, I., Lapidot, M., Levin, I., Elad, N., Tam, Y., Sela, N., Abu-Ras, A., Ezra, N., Haberman, A., Yitzhak, L., Lachman, O., y Dombrovsky, A. (2017) «A New Israeli Tobamovirus Isolate Infects Tomato Plants Harboring Tm-22 Resistance Genes», PLOS ONE, 12(1), p. e0170429. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0170429.