Transmission of tomato fruit blotch virus by the tomato russet mite: epidemiological implications for an emerging/re-emerging tomato disease

Abstract The tomato russet mite (TRM), Aculops lycopersici (Trombidiformes: Eriophyoidea), was recently suspected to be the vector of tomato fruit blotch virus (ToFBV; Blunervirus solani), a newly identified kitavirus infecting tomato cultivation worldwide. Tomato fruit blotch virus represents a ser...

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Main Authors: Sabrina Bertin, Anna Sybilska, Marta Luigi, Franca Tarchi, Donatella Goggioli, Anna Taglienti, Davide Luison, Francesco Faggioli, Sauro Simoni, Mariusz Lewandowski, Antonio Tiberini
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Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-04-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-97142-9
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author Sabrina Bertin
Anna Sybilska
Marta Luigi
Franca Tarchi
Donatella Goggioli
Anna Taglienti
Davide Luison
Francesco Faggioli
Sauro Simoni
Mariusz Lewandowski
Antonio Tiberini
author_facet Sabrina Bertin
Anna Sybilska
Marta Luigi
Franca Tarchi
Donatella Goggioli
Anna Taglienti
Davide Luison
Francesco Faggioli
Sauro Simoni
Mariusz Lewandowski
Antonio Tiberini
author_sort Sabrina Bertin
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The tomato russet mite (TRM), Aculops lycopersici (Trombidiformes: Eriophyoidea), was recently suspected to be the vector of tomato fruit blotch virus (ToFBV; Blunervirus solani), a newly identified kitavirus infecting tomato cultivation worldwide. Tomato fruit blotch virus represents a serious threat to tomato crops, and its transmission needs to be clarified to achieve better disease control and monitoring. Two independent transmission trials were performed by inoculating 20 and 18 healthy tomato plants with viruliferous TRM specimens. A total of 13 plants (34.21%) resulted to be infected at different time points across an 18-week period, and showed foliar symptoms consisting of slight mosaic, chlorotic areas and discoloration that were solely attributed to ToFBV infection. This is the first evidence of the ability of TRM to acquire and transmit ToFBV from and to tomato plants. The highest rate of infection and the peak of virus titre occurred late, between ten and 14 weeks after inoculation. Afterwards, a general decrease in virus infection was recorded, in association with two opposite phenological responses in the host plants that worsened or improved their vegetative status. The involvement of the eriophyid vector and the limited adaptation of ToFBV to tomato are possible explanations for such slow and erratic infection dynamics.
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spelling doaj-art-974c335553f64229bc40f87e2fad73dc2025-08-20T02:17:05ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-04-0115111110.1038/s41598-025-97142-9Transmission of tomato fruit blotch virus by the tomato russet mite: epidemiological implications for an emerging/re-emerging tomato diseaseSabrina Bertin0Anna Sybilska1Marta Luigi2Franca Tarchi3Donatella Goggioli4Anna Taglienti5Davide Luison6Francesco Faggioli7Sauro Simoni8Mariusz Lewandowski9Antonio Tiberini10Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Plant Protection and CertificationDepartment of Plant Protection, Warsaw, University of Life SciencesCouncil for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Plant Protection and CertificationCouncil for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Plant Protection and CertificationCouncil for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Plant Protection and CertificationCouncil for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Plant Protection and CertificationCouncil for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Plant Protection and CertificationCouncil for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Plant Protection and CertificationCouncil for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Plant Protection and CertificationDepartment of Plant Protection, Warsaw, University of Life SciencesCouncil for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Plant Protection and CertificationAbstract The tomato russet mite (TRM), Aculops lycopersici (Trombidiformes: Eriophyoidea), was recently suspected to be the vector of tomato fruit blotch virus (ToFBV; Blunervirus solani), a newly identified kitavirus infecting tomato cultivation worldwide. Tomato fruit blotch virus represents a serious threat to tomato crops, and its transmission needs to be clarified to achieve better disease control and monitoring. Two independent transmission trials were performed by inoculating 20 and 18 healthy tomato plants with viruliferous TRM specimens. A total of 13 plants (34.21%) resulted to be infected at different time points across an 18-week period, and showed foliar symptoms consisting of slight mosaic, chlorotic areas and discoloration that were solely attributed to ToFBV infection. This is the first evidence of the ability of TRM to acquire and transmit ToFBV from and to tomato plants. The highest rate of infection and the peak of virus titre occurred late, between ten and 14 weeks after inoculation. Afterwards, a general decrease in virus infection was recorded, in association with two opposite phenological responses in the host plants that worsened or improved their vegetative status. The involvement of the eriophyid vector and the limited adaptation of ToFBV to tomato are possible explanations for such slow and erratic infection dynamics.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-97142-9Aculops lycopersiciTrombidiformes: EriophyoideaBlunervirus solaniKitaviridaeSolanum lycopersicum L.Droplet digital RT-PCR
spellingShingle Sabrina Bertin
Anna Sybilska
Marta Luigi
Franca Tarchi
Donatella Goggioli
Anna Taglienti
Davide Luison
Francesco Faggioli
Sauro Simoni
Mariusz Lewandowski
Antonio Tiberini
Transmission of tomato fruit blotch virus by the tomato russet mite: epidemiological implications for an emerging/re-emerging tomato disease
Scientific Reports
Aculops lycopersici
Trombidiformes: Eriophyoidea
Blunervirus solani
Kitaviridae
Solanum lycopersicum L.
Droplet digital RT-PCR
title Transmission of tomato fruit blotch virus by the tomato russet mite: epidemiological implications for an emerging/re-emerging tomato disease
title_full Transmission of tomato fruit blotch virus by the tomato russet mite: epidemiological implications for an emerging/re-emerging tomato disease
title_fullStr Transmission of tomato fruit blotch virus by the tomato russet mite: epidemiological implications for an emerging/re-emerging tomato disease
title_full_unstemmed Transmission of tomato fruit blotch virus by the tomato russet mite: epidemiological implications for an emerging/re-emerging tomato disease
title_short Transmission of tomato fruit blotch virus by the tomato russet mite: epidemiological implications for an emerging/re-emerging tomato disease
title_sort transmission of tomato fruit blotch virus by the tomato russet mite epidemiological implications for an emerging re emerging tomato disease
topic Aculops lycopersici
Trombidiformes: Eriophyoidea
Blunervirus solani
Kitaviridae
Solanum lycopersicum L.
Droplet digital RT-PCR
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-97142-9
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