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Seed transmission of Pepino mosaic virus in tomato

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Wageningen, The Netherlands
May 14, 2008

Source: Plant Research International B.V

Results from a joint European research project show that seed transmission of Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) in tomato is possible, albeit at a low level. Transmission rates ranged from 0.005 to 0.057 percent depending on the interval between PepMV infection and seed harvest. This means that the use of seeds harvested from PepMV-infected plants bears the risk of obtaining PepMV infected seedlings. This clear conclusion to the PEPEIRA research project will be entered into the Pest Risk Assessment.

PEPEIRA is short for ‘Pepino mosaic virus: epidemiology, economic impact and pest risk analysis’. It is a project within the EU framework programme 6 and the project coordinator is PRI scientist René van der Vlugt. Twenty partners are involved, including PRI and Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture. The programme was set up to study the epidemiology and economic significance of PepMV in order to create a reliable and scientifically-founded analysis of the risks it poses to the European tomato industry.

Results from a joint European research project show that seed transmission of Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) in tomato, even though at a low level, is possible. The seed transmission rates differed from 0,005% until 0.057% depending on the time interval between PepMV infection and seed harvest. This means that the use of seeds harvested from PepMV infected plants bears the risk of obtaining PepMV infected seedlings. This conclusive indication of the PEPEIRA research project will be entered into the Pest Risk Assessment that will be one outcome of this research project.

PEPEIRA is a research project in the 6th framework programme of the EU, that aims at developing an EU-wide Pest Risk Assessment (PRA) for Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) in tomato. The project studies the epidemiology and the economic impact of PepMV in order to provide a robust and scientifically sound assessment of the risk that PepMV poses to the European tomato industry. To unravel the highly debated, putative role of seed transmission in the spread of PepMV, an extensive trial on seed transmission has been carried out.

More than 100,000 seeds were harvested from PepMV infected tomato plants in a Belgian greenhouse trial, following an International Seed Health Initiative approved seed harvesting procedure comprising acidification and enzymatic treatment. The virus inoculum was originally obtained from a commercial tomato crop, naturally infected by both the European tomato strain and the Chili2 strain of PepMV.
Close up of Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) in tomato

Close up of Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) in tomato

The seeds were distributed to ten PEPEIRA consortium members from ten different countries and subsequently germinated and grown in glasshouses or plastic tunnels, in plots of 10 seedlings each. Between 4 and 5 weeks after germination, pooled leaf samples from each plot were collected and analysed for the presence of PepMV using a standardized ELISA method.

Nearly 90,000 tomato seedlings germinated and were included in the virus test. Twenty-three out of in total 8.778 plots (87.780 seedlings) tested were positive for PepMV, resulting in a average seed transmission rate of 0.026 %. The obtained PepMV seed transmission rates differed according to the time interval between PepMV infection in the mother plants and seed harvest. Seeds harvested 8 weeks after PepMV inoculation resulted in a seed transmission rate of 0,005%, while seeds harvested 15 weeks after PepMV inoculation resulted in a significantly higher transmission rate of 0,057%. Positive test results were confirmed by an additional ELISA-test. The results clearly show that seed transmission of PepMV can occur, even though at a low level, and that use of seeds harvested from PepMV infected plants bears the risk of obtaining PepMV infected seedlings.
This conclusive indication of seed transmission of PepMV, even though at a low level, will enter into the Pest Risk Assessment that will be one of the outcomes of the PEPEIRA project.

The Pepeira research project is a collaboration between 20 laboratories and institutions involved or dealing with plant health from 17 European Countries. More information about the consortium, the members and the research project: www.pepeira.wur.nl.
 

Pepino mosaic virus: epidemiology, economic impact and pest risk analysis
PEPEIRA is an RTD activity aimed at developing an EU-wide Pest Risk Assessment (PRA) for Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV). The proposal will investigate the epidemiology and economic impact of PepMV in order to allow a robust and scientifically-justified assessment of the risk posed by this pathogen to the European tomato industry. This includes a true assessment of the economic impact on tomato crops growing in Member States with different climatic and market conditions and the role of seed transmission in the spread of PepMV.

The project will also address the increased risk posed by new, biologically and genetically distinct strains of PepMV that have appeared in Europe and elsewhere recently and have the potential to be far more damaging. The proposal will also address the issue of developing validated diagnostic protocols, to be published via EPPO that can be used with confidence by National Plant Protection Organisations (NPPOs) within the EU and laboratories in other countries that trade with the EU.
 

In addition to a strong and focussed science program, the proposal also mobilises an impressive consortium, including all EU laboratories with a proven track record of PepMV research, with extensive plant virus and plant health expertise from all Member States where PepMV poses a potential risk.

Consultation with the principle stakeholders (Plant Health Standing Committee, DG SANCO, growers and seed companies etc.) throughout the life of the project is given paramount importance. Adoption of the new PRA will allow EU Plant Health services to develop, via Council Directive 2000/29/EC, a consensus on appropriate measures to prevent PepMV becoming significant detrimental to the EU tomato industry.

This in turn will help to prevent any negative impacts on the sustainability of European horticulture and other negative economic and social effects associated with the further establishment of this disease.

 

 

More information about the consortium, the members and the research project: www.pepeira.wur.nl.

 

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