Wedoany.com Report-Jun 4, Bayer has introduced new tomato varieties designed to provide growers with stronger protection against tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV). These varieties, which include multi-stacked virus-resistant genes, are set to launch this year across all major glasshouse tomato segments. The development aims to offer more durable resistance, especially as ToBRFV continues to mutate.

Traditional tomato varieties with single-source resistance have helped maintain produce quality and supply in recent years. However, because plant RNA viruses such as ToBRFV mutate rapidly, resistance from a single gene is often not sufficient. Bayer’s new approach involves stacking multiple resistant genes that disrupt various stages of the plant-virus interaction, offering broader and more stable protection.

Javier Quintero, Global Lead for Tomato R&D at Bayer’s Crop Science division, stated: “Resistance-breaking ToBRFV remains a long-term threat to grower incomes, so they need longer-lasting solutions without sacrificing produce quality or agronomic performance. We tested several new ToBRFV-resistant hybrids, and we confirmed that they hold up against the resistance-breaking virus. We expect growers to see similar results under similar growing conditions, which is very exciting.”

Bayer conducted two controlled trials to test the resistance levels of four new tomato hybrids. In one trial, plants were exposed to the standard ToBRFV strain, while the second involved a resistance-breaking isolate. Both trials were conducted in separate glasshouses and included a non-resistant control variety. At both 14 and 21 days after inoculation, the non-resistant plants showed severe virus symptoms, while the new hybrids with multiple resistance genes remained unaffected, demonstrating resilience against both virus types.

Initial commercial hybrids with stacked resistance include Bayer’s De Ruiter red beef variety Ferreira and pink beef variety Futumaru, both already on the market. Looking ahead, Bayer plans to introduce new hybrids with similar resistance for additional categories, including Large Truss, Medium Truss, Cocktail & Cherry Plum Truss, and Beef tomatoes.

These upcoming varieties have shown promising results in trials, indicating high levels of resistance without compromising agronomic traits such as yield, fruit quality, and adaptability. The first wave of these expanded hybrid offerings is expected to be available commercially starting in 2025.

This advancement represents a significant step for protected crop production, offering growers a solution that addresses the evolving nature of ToBRFV while supporting continued supply stability and quality in the global tomato market.