Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV)

Find out about the symptoms, spread and outbreaks of this damaging virus. Plus, learn about the hygiene recommendations to protect your tomato and sweet pepper crops. 

This information was last updated in 2022.

Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) was first identified in Israel in 2014 and affects tomato and sweet pepper crops around the world. It has caused significant economic losses and has the potential to continue to impact commercial production due to reduced crop quality and yield, and the need to implement extra biosecurity measures to minimise risk of infection. The first UK outbreak was reported in June 2019.

ToBRFV steering group

Originally formed in collaboration between AHDB and the Tomato Growers' Association (TGA) in 2019, the ToBRFV steering group exists to help the industry form a response to, and mitigate for, this virus threat from a UK perspective.The group consists of commercial tomato and pepper growers, researchers, and representatives from Defra Plant Health and Fera Science Ltd.

The goal of the group is to support the tomato and pepper industry in the following ways:

• Keep up to date on UK, EU and global outbreaks, including plant and seed interceptions
• Discuss updates and feedback to Defra on legislation and protocols affecting the management of this virus in the UK and EU
• Prioritise research activity, including work on outbreak prevention through understanding virus survival, spread and disinfection
• Ensure accurate and timely information on ToBRFV is shared through mutliple channels
• Gain feedback from industry on what support they require
• Horizon scan and form international links to share information on prevention, detection and control of ToBRFV
• Support the management of media and press enquiries around this virus, to ensure appropriate, accurate, reliable and timely information is released, and commercial sensitivities are respected
• Collate information on UK outbreaks with affected businesses, where agreed and appropriate, and signpost them to further information and support

All information raised, discussed, and actioned by the group, unless mutually agreed otherwise, remains confidential.

Following the end of the AHDB horticulture levy and wind down of research work, AHDB is no longer involved in this group, but the TGA and other industry parties continue to lead it. No further updates on ToBRFV will be added to these pages post March 2023.

Please email Phil Morley (group chair and Technical Executive Officer of the Tomato Growers' Association) or Adrian Fox (Fera Science Ltd's Principle Plant Virologist) if you would like more information or to get in touch with the group.

Read the latest information on UK and international outbreaks of ToBRFV from Defra’s plant health portal and the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) global database. Find out who you should contact and what procedures you should follow in the event of a suspected or confirmed outbreak.

Learn about the biology and key symptoms of ToBRFV, which include mosaic patterning on leaves, brown necrotic streaks on stems, and brown wrinkled (rugose) patches on fruit. View our symptoms gallery for signs of ToBRFV in crop. 

Find results from the AHDB-funded ToBRFV survival and disinfection research project. Learn how long the virus can survive on different glasshouse surfaces, and which disinfectants are most likely to control the spread, and reduce the risk of infection.

Hygiene best practice procedures should be implemented as standard in any horticultural business. Find out how to use precautionary measures to reduce the likelihood of infection and minimise the impact of an outbreak, should one occur.

Three case studies were carried out with UK growers who have had a ToBRFV outbreak on their sites, to explore their first hand experience. Find out how the virus was found and reported, the symptoms that were observed, pattern of spread and how the outbreak was managed. 

Fera Science Ltd. is the only UK organisation to offer seed testing for ToBRFV at present.

Email contact: Adrian Fox.

The recommended number of seeds to test and the associated costs are outlined in the table below:

A similar service is provided by Naktuinbouw in the Netherlands.