A fatal virus outbreak occurs in tomatoes in Busan... “Restrict contact between farms”

The Busan City Agricultural Technology Center warned on the 8th that caution is needed due to the recent outbreak of 'tomato brown wrinkle fruit virus (ToBRFV)', a virus subject to national quarantine management, in local facility cultivation farms.

ToBRFV is a highly pathogenic virus that occurs in Solanaceae crops such as tomatoes, paprika, and peppers.

When infected, leaves show mosaic spots, wrinkles, and deformed leaves that become thin like needles. It is characterized by poor fruit set or fallen fruit due to stem and calyx necrosis.

In severe cases, fruit rots and production plummets by 30-70%, inflicting a fatal blow to the farm economy.

Currently, there is no control agent, so it can spread within the facility with only a slight contact, such as through a worker's hands, gloves, or pruning shears, as well as through shoes or work clothes.

For this reason, the Agricultural Technology Center said that outsiders should refrain from visiting suspicious farms or having contact between farms.

For inquiries about virus symptom consultation and test requests, please contact the Center's Technology and Agriculture Team (☎051-970-3721).