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[1] Panama
[2] Australia
[3] Addition to EPPO alert list

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[1] Panama
Date: February 2009
Source: European Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO) Reporting Service 2/2009/030 [edited] <http://archives.eppo.org/EPPOReporting/2009/Rse-0902.pdf>

1st record of Tomato torrado virus in Panama
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In February 2008, unusual disease symptoms were observed in field-grown tomatoes (_Solanum lycopersicum_) from the central regions of Cocle, Herrera, Los Santos, and Veraguas of Panama. Tomato production was seriously damaged. Symptoms were characterised by leaf deformation, necrosis, discolouration (purple margins, interveinal yellowing), necrotic lines in sepals and branches, fruit deformation, and severe stunting.

To verify the identity of the disease, 5 symptomatic tomato plants from 4 fields of the affected regions were selected and tested (DAS-ELISA [double antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay], PCR) for the presence of the following viruses: _Cucumber mosaic virus_ (genus _Cucumovirus_, CMV), _Potato virus X_ (_Potexvirus_), _Potato virus Y_ (_Potyvirus_), _Tomato mosaic virus_ (_Tobamovirus_), _Tomato spotted wilt virus_ (_Tospovirus_), _Pepino mosaic virus_ (_Potexvirus_), Tomato torrado virus (ToTV). ToTV was detected in all tested samples and CMV was found in 3 of these samples. No difference in symptomatology could be observed between samples infected by ToTV only or with both viruses.

This is the 1st time that ToTV is detected in Panama and also the 1st report of mixed infections with CMV and ToTV.

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[2] Australia
Date: February 2009
Source: European Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO) Reporting Service 2/2009/031 [edited] <http://archives.eppo.org/EPPOReporting/2009/Rse-0902.pdf>

1st record of Tomato torrado virus in Australia
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In October 2008, the presence of Tomato torrado virus was reported for the 1st time in Australia. The virus was detected in glasshouse tomatoes in the Northern Adelaide Plains of South Australia. Affected tomato plants showed leaf mottling, yellow spotting followed by necrosis at the base of leaflets and in some cases, stem necrosis.
But unlike reports from other parts of the world, no fruit symptoms were observed.

Although ToTV was first described in 2007 as a virus new to science [see ProMED-mail post no. 20070324.1030], there is evidence that it may have been present in Australia at least since 2005. Similar symptoms had been noticed in 2005 and when preserved samples were tested they were found positive for ToTV.

Observations made in South Australia indicated that many commonly grown tomato varieties seemed to be resistant/tolerant to the virus.

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[3] Addition to EPPO alert list
Date: February 2009
Source: European Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO) Reporting Service 2/2009/032 [edited] <http://archives.eppo.org/EPPOReporting/2009/Rse-0902.pdf>

Tomato torrado virus: addition to the EPPO Alert List
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Considering that Tomato torrado virus is an emerging disease of tomato crops, the EPPO Panel on Phytosanitary Measures recommended its addition to the Alert List.

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[ToTV is a new virus, which appears to be spreading. Symptoms include leaf necrosis, which can affect the photosynthetic potential of the plant, as well as necrotic spots on fruit. The virus has the potential to cause considerable yield losses. ToTV is suspected to be transmitted by whiteflies, and _T. vaporariorum_ has recently been confirmed as an efficient vector.

The finding in item 2 that commercial tomato cultivars with resistance to ToTV may be available can be used for disease management in the future. The absence of fruit symptoms in Australia may point towards the presence of different strains compared to the other regions where ToTV has been reported so far.

Phylogenetic analyses showed that ToTV is related to, but distinct from, viruses belonging to other genera in the proposed order of the Picornavirales. Another new virus related to ToTV, Tomato marchitez virus (ToMarV), has recently been found in Mexico. ToMarV and ToTV both share unique features and are likely to represent a new plant virus genus for which the name Torradovirus was recently proposed by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV).

Maps
Panama:
<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/americas/panama.jpg> 
and <http://healthmap.org/promed/en?v=8.417,-80.417,7>
Australia:
<http://www.ga.gov.au/image_cache/GA4073.jpg>
and <http://healthmap.org/promed/en?v=-25.7,134.5,4>
South Australia:
<http://www.ozhorizons.com.au/sa/map.htm>

Pictures
ToTV symptoms:
<http://www.deruiterseeds.com/files/Files/PDF/Microsoft_Word_-_Torrado_Marchitez_Virus_website_071001.pdf>
ToTV particles, electron micrograph:
<http://www.seedquest.com/News/releases/2007/graphics/18419a.jpg>
_T. vaporariorum_:
<http://www.plante-doktor.dk/trialeurodes%20vaporariorum%201.jpg>

Links
ToTV 1st report in Panama, additional links:
<http://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/abs/10.1094/PDIS-93-2-0198A>  and <http://www.pestalert.org/viewNewsAlert.cfm?naid=66>
Characterisation of ToTV:
<http://www.springerlink.com/content/qk2617331j112m4p/fulltext.pdf>
Information on torrado disease research:
<http://archives.eppo.org/EPPOReporting/2007/Rse-0707.pdf>
Characterisation of ToMarV:
<http://www.springerlink.com/content/gj515nlw824g7323/>
Proposed order of Picornavirales:
<http://www.picornavirales.org>
Information on and viruses transmitted by _T. vaporariorum_:
<http://www.apsnet.org/online/feature/whitefly/>
ICTV virus taxonomy index:
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ICTVdb/Ictv/index.htm>
EPPO alert list:
<http://www.eppo.org/QUARANTINE/Alert_List/alert_list.htm>. - Mod.DHA]

[see also in the archive:
2008
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Tomato torrado virus - Hungary: (CS), 1st rep 20080717.2169
2007
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Tomato marchitez virus - Mexico: new virus, (Sinaloa) 20071202.3888 Tomato torrado virus - Poland: (Greater Poland), 1st report 20071113.3684 Torrado disease, tomato - Spain: new findings 20070906.2944 Torrado disease, tomato: new virus identified 20070324.1030]