Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus in India: Risks, Regulations, and Solutions

15 January 2024, New Delhi: The global spread of the Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV) has raised alarms across the agricultural world, including in India, where the virus poses a significant threat to tomato and pepper crops—key components of the nation’s agricultural economy. This alarming expansion has prompted the European Union and other countries, including India, to introduce strict measures to curb its transmission, particularly through the import and movement of pepper and tomato seeds.

India’s Perspective on ToBRFV’s Global Impact

The European Commission revised its regulations in May 2023 to tighten controls on tomato and pepper imports, especially from countries where ToBRFV has been detected. Despite these measures, the virus has continued to spread, with new cases identified in Ireland, Lithuania, Latvia, Romania, and Croatia within the European Union. Globally, in the last two years, the virus has also been detected in Australia, Morocco, Argentina, and India. For India, the detection of ToBRFV highlights the urgency of implementing robust phytosanitary measures to protect its vast agricultural landscape, where tomatoes and peppers are integral to both domestic consumption and export markets.

The EU’s Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2970 acknowledges that the virus has proliferated despite earlier containment efforts. A pest risk analysis by the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO) in June 2024 confirmed that ToBRFV’s area of distribution has significantly expanded worldwide. This echoes concerns within India, where the virus’s ability to spread rapidly and persist on various surfaces poses a grave challenge to agricultural management.

Regulatory Changes and Implications for India

The updated EU legislation no longer classifies ToBRFV as a quarantine pest but rather as a “regulated non-quarantine pest.” This change reflects its widespread nature and the need for stricter, targeted measures. To ensure that seeds and plants for planting are free of the virus, the EU mandates that these materials must either originate from countries declared free of the pest by their national phytosanitary services or undergo official analyses under supervision. India, as a country with a growing export market for agricultural products, must align with such international standards to maintain access to key markets.

One notable aspect of the EU’s regulation is the exemption for pepper plant varieties resistant to ToBRFV. These varieties, shown to have a low phytosanitary risk, are not subject to the stringent frequency rates of controls required for other imports. This highlights the importance of developing virus-resistant varieties in India to safeguard its agricultural production and meet international trade requirements.

Rising Concerns Over Seed Imports

The increased sampling and analysis percentages mandated by the EU reflect the growing threat posed by ToBRFV. For instance, identity and physical controls for consignments of plants entering the EU are now conducted with a 100% frequency rate. This is particularly stringent for imports from countries like Israel and China, which have experienced the highest interception rates. Studies by the Mediterranean Agroforestry Institute (IAM) and the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Plants (IBMCP) revealed that 34.4% of commercial pepper seed imports from China between 2019 and 2023 carried tobamoviruses, including ToBRFV and Tomato Mottle Mosaic Virus (ToMMV). This is a critical concern for India, as the country relies on seed imports to meet its agricultural demands. Ensuring stringent seed certification and testing processes within India will be crucial to preventing further outbreaks.

ToBRFV in India: The Current Scenario

India first detected ToBRFV in its tomato crops within the last two years, joining the list of countries grappling with its devastating effects. The virus’s rapid transmission and high persistence make it a formidable challenge for Indian farmers. Reports from other affected regions, such as Spain, indicate that the virus can persist in greenhouses, research centers, and open fields, causing widespread damage. In Spain alone, the virus has affected tomato and pepper crops across regions like Almería, Andalusia, Catalonia, and the Canary Islands. These lessons serve as a cautionary tale for India, where the virus’s impact could be even more profound given the country’s smallholder farming structure and limited access to advanced agricultural technologies.

Transmission and Challenges in India

ToBRFV spreads primarily through mechanical transmission and infected seeds, making it highly contagious. The virus is remarkably stable, capable of remaining infectious for extended periods on various surfaces and substrates. It can resist disinfection methods like solarization, which are effective against other viruses. Moreover, ToBRFV has numerous natural hosts, including common Indian weeds like nightshade (Solanum nigrum), pigweed (Chenopodium and Amaranthus spp.), and bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis), which can perpetuate its presence in infected areas. This ecological adaptability complicates efforts to eradicate the virus in India, where such weeds are widespread.

Management Strategies for India

The experience of other countries highlights the need for a multifaceted approach to managing ToBRFV in India. Research institutions like the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and state agricultural universities must prioritize developing resistant tomato and pepper varieties, drawing inspiration from international efforts. Additionally, farmers need to be educated on best practices for sanitation, seed selection, and crop rotation to minimize the risk of virus transmission.

In regions where ToBRFV has already been detected, stringent containment measures must be implemented, including the destruction of infected crops and enhanced monitoring of neighboring fields. Collaborative efforts between government agencies, research institutions, and the private sector will be essential to develop and disseminate effective management strategies.

Also Read: Global Pesticides Market to Reach $181.2 Billion by 2031: Report

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