Rugose Disinfection Shared Trials

The Background

To determine the efficacy of disinfection and cleaning products in removing or inactivating Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV) from common greenhouse surfaces, including glass (room temperature and chilled), aluminum, galvanized steel, concrete and climate screen. Dip treatments for gloves and tools were also tested.
To provide each participating company with performance data for their own product(s), benchmarked against an untreated control and a commercial standard (bleach).

Several products, or product combinations, demonstrated high efficacy in removing or inactivating ToBRFV, while others were less effective.

Efficacy varied by surface type, with climate screen and concrete proving more difficult to disinfect effectively.

These trials provide both clients and the broader greenhouse industry with data-driven insight into the performance of cleaning and disinfection products currently on the market. This enables informed decisions regarding product choice, concentration, and contact time for practical use.
Effective disinfection or cleaning to manage ToBRFV is a critical component of virus management, alongside the use of resistant cultivars and other integrated pest management (IPM) strategies.