The Potential Risk of Plant-Virus Disease Initiation by Infected Tomatoes

During 2019, tomato fruits showing viral-like symptoms of marbled yellow spots were abundant in Israel. The new symptoms were distinctive from those typical of tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) infection but resembled symptoms of pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) infection. RT-PCR analysis and the serological tests (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, western blot and in situ immunofluorescence) revealed and confirmed the presence of both the tobamovirus ToBRFV and the potexvirus PepMV in the symptomatic fruits. A mixture of rod-like and filamentous particles, characteristic of viruses belonging to tobamovirus and potexvirus genera, was visualized by transmission electron microscopy of the tomato fruit viral extract. Sanger sequencing of amplified PepMV-coat protein gene segments showed ~98% sequence identity to the Chilean (CH2)-strain. In a biological assay testing the contribution of traded infected tomatoes to the establishment of tomato plant disease, we applied direct and indirect inoculation modes using Tm-2-resistant tomato plants. The results, assessed by disease symptom development along with serological and molecular analyses, showed that the ToBRFV and PepMV co-infected fruits were an effective inoculum source for disease spread only when fruits were damaged. Importantly, intact fruits did not spread the viral disease. These results added a new factor to disease epidemiology of these viruses.