Advice to reduce risk of tomato brown rugose virus

Glasshouse workers should wear gloves and change them regularly to reduce the risk of an outbreak of tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), according to AHDB-funded research.

Early findings from the research, conducted by Fera Science Ltd. has shown that the virus, which affects tomato and pepper plants, will survive on hands for at least two hours and on glasshouse surfaces for at least four weeks.

The project has been investigating how well hygiene measures work to help growers take steps to reduce the risk of the virus entering glasshouses and to limit the spread of the virus, should an outbreak occur. The hygiene approaches would also help inform post-outbreak clean-up procedures.

Nathalie Key, Knowledge Exchange Manager at AHDB, said: “While the research project continues, the findings from Fera are critical for the industry and important for growers to begin to adopt. The research will continue to look at which products and protocols are the most effective for disinfection.”

Hands and gloves

Recommendations to limit the spread around the glasshouse:

• Wear gloves when handling plants and change them often
• Consider zonal working where foliage in plant rows is in contact with hair and clothes

ToBRFV can survive on both skin and gloves for at least two hours. Washing hands, including with medicated hand wash and post-wash alcohol hand gel did not eliminate the virus. While washing hands for a minimum of one minute reduced the spread of the virus, it wasn’t completely effective. The virus is also likely to survive on hair and clothes.

Glasshouse surfaces

The virus survived on glass, aluminium, stainless steel, hard plastic (e.g. picking crates) and polythene for at least four weeks and on concrete for at least seven days.

Further research in the project will look at disinfectant treatments to decontaminate common glasshouse surfaces.

The virus was reported for the first time in the UK on a tomato crop in the summer, no further outbreaks have been reported.

The affected glasshouse was cleared voluntarily and Formaline, bleach and hydrogen peroxide were used. Service areas were cleaned with Virkon, bleach and menno florades. No ToBRFV has been detected in the glasshouse from tested swabs.

The research project will conclude in December 2019.

Anna Skelton, Fera Science Ltd. presented the most recent findings at the Tomato Growers’ Association Conference in September. You can review the presentation again here.  Download

For all the latest information and guidance on preventing and controlling the virus, visit our knowledge library page.