Scientists of Plant Research International, part of Wageningen UR, have discovered the pathogen that causes the so-called ‘Chocolàte disease’. This is a third member of the new plant virus genus Torrado virus which is ravaging in tomato cultivation in Guatemala where it causes considerable economic damage. The new virus has been named ‘Tomato chocolàte virus’ because of the typical symptoms it causes in tomato: chocolate brown spots and rings on the fruits.
The Tomato chocolàte virus belongs to the same plant virus genus as that of Tomato torrado virus and Tomato marchitez virus, viruses earlier identified and described by scientists of Plant Research International.
The disease causes necrosis of the leaves of the tomato plant and characteristic chocolate-brown spots and rings on the fruits, which makes them unmarketable.
With the characteristics of this new virus being known, plant material can be tested for the presence of this pathogen. And new tomato varieties that are less susceptible or insusceptible to this virus can be developed.
The research has been carried out in close cooperation with the Vegetable Seeds Division of the Monsanto breeding company (formerly De Ruiter Seeds). Monsanto also financed the research.
The results of this research have recently been published in Archives of Virology: Tomato chocolàte virus: a new plant virus infecting tomato and a proposed member of the genus Torrado virus