France's diners are waiting to hear whether their most popular vegetable is in danger from a deadly virus. 

The severe threat to the country's tomato supply (yes, tomatoes are actually a fruit but used like a vegetable) was discovered at a farm in Finistere, France.

Investigation continues to be carried out by the Regional Directorate for Food, Agriculture and Forestry (DRAAF) to confirm whether or not the tomatoes have been infected with the ToBRFV virus, with the results expected to be announced on Monday.

The two greenhouses at the farm are being confined, all plants, seeds, fruit and farm materials consigned and biosecurity measures applied until it is confirmed as to whether the tomatoes are infected. 

If the outbreak is officially confirmed, all tomato plants in the contaminated greenhouses will be immediately destroyed. 

What is ToBRFV?

Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) is a virus that targets tomatoes, chillis and peppers.

Symptoms include yellow or brown spots on the fruit, mosaic and mottling of the leaves, spots on the peduncles (stem). The fruit may also be deformed.

It was first detected in Jordan in 2015 and has since been discovered in a number of countries worldwide including China, Mexico and the United Kingdom. This is the first potential case of ToBRFV reported in France.

Isolated incidents were also detected in Germany and USA in 2018 but the tomato crops were subsequently eradicated with no further damage to the local agriculture. 

The virus is transmitted by contact, whether that be direct plant to plant connection or through contaminated tools. Recent experiments have also revealed that bumblebees could also transmit the virus but this is yet to be confirmed.

Be "extremely vigilant"

In a statement released on Sunday, France's Agricultural and Food Ministry called for all producers and amateur gardeners to be "extremely vigilant," but did also add that the virus was harmless to humans.

The ministry has asked farmers to make sure that any tomato, chilli or pepper seeds bought are accompanied by a certificate guaranteeing they are virus-free. 

The French government have called for any gardeners who see any of the symptoms to report them immediately to the DRAAF to avoid further spread of the virus. 

Economic consequences

The spread of ToBRTV would have major economic consequences for France so it is very important to isolate any infected plants in order to prevent the virus from spreading. 

The tomato is the most-consumed vegetable in France (13.9 kg per household per year) and the leading cultivated vegetable with 712,000 tonnes of tomatoes produced in 2018. Gardeners also produce 400,000 tonnes of tomatoes each year.