Gravi infezioni di Tomato infectious chlorosis virus su pomodoro in Puglia

In 2015, 15 to 20% of tomato plants grown in a greehouse southeast of Bari (Apulia, southern Italy) showed symptoms similar to nutrient disorders or phytotoxicity. Mature leaves displayed interveinal yellowing with some dark-red areas, thickening of the leaf lamina and brittle fracture, while the new growth at the plant apex appears normal. Fruits were normal although ripening was delayed. A Tomato infectious chlorosis virus infection was detected in symptomatic samples by means of molecular hybridization with a Digoxigenin-labelled DNA probe. No other viruses common in Italian tomato crops were detected. Thus the etiology of the disorder could be very likely attributed to TICV. This is the second report of TICV infection in protected tomato crops in Apulia but in the previous case TICV was in mixed infection with a Sw5 resistance-breaking strain of Tomato spotted wilt virus. Basic information on the ecoepidemiology of TICV is provided.