What are tomato viruses?
The most common tomato viruses are:
Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)
Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV)
Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV)
Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV)
Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV)
Pepino mosaic virus was first detected in Europe in 1999, and is controlled by plant health regulations.
Symptoms
Stunted growth and reduced yield are common symptoms, especially when several viruses are present
Mosaic patterns of lighter green on the leaves (TMV, ToMV, CMV, PepMV)
Fern leaf, where the leaf blade is reduced in size to give a fern-like appearance (TMV, CMV, PepMV)
Brown streaked leaves (TMV)
Young leaves curl downwards and become bronzed (TSWV)
The leaf surface appears distorted and bubbly (PepMV)
Dry set, when fruit fail to set (TMV)
Fruit develop a bronzed, patchy appearance (TMV, ToMV)
Fruit ripens unevenly with pale patches or marbling (TSWV, PepMV)
Non-chemical control
Remove plants with symptoms promptly
After handling infected plants, wash hands and tools in hot soapy water.
