Tomato brown rugose fruit virus

Symptoms

The virus causes brown or yellow spots to appear on host leaves, fruit and stems. Fruit infected with ToBRFV can be deformed or ripen irregularly.

Tomato

Leaves:

• discolouration
• mosaic and mottling patterns
• reduced size.

Fruit:

• yellowing or brown areas
• wrinkled (rugose) skin.

Stems can be discoloured.

Capsicum (and capsicum species of chillis)

Leaves:

• deformation
• yellowing
• mosaic patterns.

Fruit:

• deformation
• areas of yellow, brown or green stripes or blotches.

Stems can be discoloured.

Symptoms on fruit could be confused with:

• tospoviruses
• tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) (Orthotospovirus tomatomaculae)
• capsicum chlorosis virus (Orthotospovirus capsiciflavi).

Uneven tomato fruit ripening could be a symptom of whitefly feeding, or abiotic stresses.

ToBRFV was first reported in 2014 on tomatoes in Israel. It has since been reported in North and South America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

The international distribution of ToBRFV has been attributed to the global movement of seed.

In Australia, ToBRFV has been detected in:

• South Australia (August 2024)
• Victoria (January 2025)
• New South Wales (July 2025).

• Affects tomato, capsicum and chilli.
• Solanaceous weeds such as nightshades can also become infected.
• Eggplant and potato are not considered to be ToBRFV hosts.

The life cycle of ToBRFV is dependent on the living plant host.

Following infection, the virus hijacks the cells of the host plant and uses them to replicate.

However, the virus can remain present on non-living materials associated with infected host plants (e.g. plant waste and contaminated soil) as well as inert surfaces (e.g. plastic, glass, fabric) for months or even years.

Plants infected with ToBRFV cannot be cured. There is no effective treatment to remove the disease from seeds or plant material.

ToBRFV could significantly impact Australia's vegetable industry. It could lead to considerable economic losses due to reduced yield and quality of produce.

Home gardeners may also be affected because tomato, capsicum and chilli are common backyard plants.

Human health is not affected by infected plants or fruit.

ToBRFV is easily spread by the movement of:

• fruit
• plants (including plant debris)
• seeds
• contaminated surfaces, farm tools, clothing or equipment.

The virus can also spread through plant-to-plant contact and irrigation water.

The virus can survive for months in:

• seeds
• plant debris
• contaminated soil.

ToBRFV can remain infectious on contaminated surfaces for long periods of time.

Insects could spread the virus if it established in Australia.

Do not touch or move infected plant material – this could spread the disease further.

You should practice safe biosecurity measures and report anything suspicious in your plants, crops or fruit immediately.

You should also:

• source clean seed and propagation material from reputable suppliers
• ensure you use thorough hygiene practices such as disinfecting tools, propagating equipment and vehicles
• ensure staff and visitors are trained and follow your biosecurity requirements
• monitor your crops regularly, isolate suspect plants and report anything suspicious
• remove wild tomato plants and other weeds such as nightshade that could act as reservoirs for the virus.

You must report any symptoms that resemble ToBRFV infection immediately using 1 of these methods:

• Report online.
• Phone Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23.
• Phone the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881.

Use these resources to help protect your farm from plant pests and diseases:

• Protecting your farm
• Farm biosecurity.

ToBRFV is biosecurity matter under the Biosecurity Act 2014.

Under the Act, everyone in Queensland has a general biosecurity obligation to report biosecurity risks and take action to prevent or minimise them

Anyone wanting to move ToBRFV carriers into Queensland must comply with the movement control order.