Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) is a highly infectious RNA virus that affects tomato crops globally. It has caused significant economic losses for growers due to reduced crop quality and yield.
OMEX Agrifluids, an R&D-based UK company specializing in leading-edge plant nutrition, is currently conducting field trials to explore whether better crop nutrition through applying OMEX’s organically registered product Zynergy, will strengthen plant health and reduce ToBRFV susceptibility and infection.
Luciano Gullotta, Export Technical Sales Manager at OMEX Agrifluids, reports.
“Zynergy is ideal for providing the plant with essential nutrients, including Copper and Zinc, that support natural defense mechanisms against stress and disease throughout the season. Both Copper and Zinc play an important part in the metabolism of plants. A key role of both essential nutrients is to support the crop’s immune systems. Part of Zinc’s function is maintaining the integumentary system of the plant, which affects skin elasticity, wound healing, and disease suppression. Copper forms part of the phenolic compounds used by plants to suppress infection”, explains Luciano.
OMEX puts a focus on plant health with its unique range of nutritional products designed to stimulate plant health and vigor and to increase the plant’s ability to withstand pests and diseases. Like humans, if you take care of your body and health by consuming a healthy diet of essential nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, etc., you are less likely to fall ill and recover quicker in case of illness.
“Zynergy is a fertilizer that may help improve plant response to ToBRFV, and in doing so, is also expected to reduce the transmissibility of the virus between plants. Through early observations of the field trials, despite a plant being infected with ToBRFV, after applying Zynergy, it continues to grow, make stems, and produce new healthy leaves. In addition, flowers and the process of pollination, fertilization, and subsequent fruit set are not affected. Fruit size also appears not to be reduced,” says Luciano.
Effective plant nutrition in the right place at the right time can be the essential foundation for sustainable crop production, where growers rely less on agrochemicals but still strive to improve crop quality and yield. OMEX Agrifluids research is leading the way to achieve this.
