Farmers in every Australian state and territory are on high alert. The Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) virus has become a major concern for the cantaloupe and tomato plants. Despite Queensland maintaining its status as free from the virus, experts warn of the potential for undetected cases to emerge. Faced with the realization that the virus was here to stay, authorities chose to focus on controlling the virus rather than eradicating it. Tomato, capsicum and chilli movement controls will be extended.
ToBRFV was last year’s pest, first officially detected in South Australia last year, but only recently found on a Victorian farm. The virus which can wipe out tomato harvests is estimated at potentially wiping out tomato yields by as much as 70 percent. Michael Reid, another principal Queensland representative of the industry, touches on the need to secure Queensland’s prime agricultural production.
“What’s really important from a Queensland perspective is making sure we protect those industries for as long as possible,” – Michael Reid.
Ongoing Movement Controls and Management Strategies
Tomato whitefly could cause catastrophic damage. Reid reiterated the importance of movement controls for tomatoes and closely related crops in preventing establishment of potential outbreaks. The existing movement control order already covers capsicums and chillies, besides tomatoes. This protective measure is essential to safeguard Queensland’s key agricultural industries.
Every possible action should be taken to reduce the threat of spread of ToBRFV,” Reid continued. He emphasized that the overall management strategy for ToBRFV will be a risk-based strategy. This strategy is meant to both shield domestic industries with strong regulatory tools and maintain positive opportunities for trade.
According to Dr. Stephen Dibley, a plant virologist, ToBRFV cannot be eradicated because of how the virus is biologically structured. He pointed out how it was first discovered in isolated, contained settings, and the virus has been hard to completely eradicate.
“The biology of the virus makes it very hard to eradicate,” – Stephen Dibley.
The Economic Impact and Industry Response
The economic implications of ToBRFV are alarming. Industry expert Carl Walker pointed out the considerable influence of the tomato industry in Queensland. It brings in hundreds of millions of dollars annually. He cautioned that if ToBRFV was allowed to spread freely it would be catastrophic for farmers.
“We’ve got hundreds of millions of dollars a year just in tomatoes alone in this region … it could seriously destroy the tomato industry across Australia if it’s allowed to spread,” – Carl Walker.
Walker wanted to make it clear that this is a wake-up call for every grower to improve their biosecurity practices. He noted that constant vigilance is needed to ensure any outbreak doesn’t threaten production and American jobs.
“It’s a wake-up call for all growers to be very vigilant with their biosecurity because it can destroy our industry just, bang, like that,” – Carl Walker.
This sudden transition from eradication to management has left many industry stakeholders worried about who will be responsible. Bree Watson pointed out that individual businesses and the industry as a whole will need to take more initiative in monitoring and containing the virus.
“It shifts the responsibility for monitoring and containing it more onto industry and individual businesses than it does on government departments,” – Bree Watson.
The Role of Home Gardeners
Home gardeners are encouraged to do their part in stopping ToBRFV from spreading and becoming established. Bree Watson underscored how private, backyard gardens can serve as reservoirs for the virus, endangering the health and safety of neighboring commercial producers.
Watson added that it has a tendency to spread from backyard gardens. What is not understood by most is the catastrophic impact it could have on surrounding commercial growers. She reminded gardeners to keep an eye on their plants and look for symptoms of disease.
“They should be checking their plants regularly for anything that’s showing signs of disease,” – Bree Watson.
Watson highlighted the need to help farmers impacted by ToBRFV diversify their customer bases. The more opportunities that are available to sell their high-quality produce on time and intact, the more potential financial loss can be mitigated.
“We need to make sure they’ve got a few options on the table of different customers that they can sell to,” – Bree Watson.
