A new tomato variety resistant to the ToBRFV virus that kills over 50% of the world's tomato crop

The new strain developed by Gedera-Syngenta Seeds is being cultivated in greenhouses surrounding Gaza that have been severely affected by the deadly virus

At the end of five years of research, the researchers of the international seed concern Syngenta Vegetable Seeds, the world's leader in the field of agro-technology, succeeded in bringing about a breakthrough in the cultivation of a new tomato variety, 'Lansor', the first in the world, with resistance (IR) to the ToBRFV virus.

(Tomato brown rugose fruit virus), which in the last six years affected over 50% of the tomato crop in Israel and around the world.

Israel is the first in the world to start growing the new variety in the agricultural greenhouses in the Gaza Strip. The resistant variety will restore the tomato growing areas and greenhouses, which were destroyed due to the virus, will expand the industry with a new entry of growers, will lead to a significant increase in the tomato crop in Israel, to a reduction and even cancellation of tomato imports to Israel and to lower the price of tomatoes for the consumer.

Until 2014, the average annual tomato crop in Israel was about 200 tons, when the ToBRFV virus resulted in a continuous decrease in the crop over the years, of about 50% of the tomato crop and caused an economic damage of about NIS 120 million, a total collapse of dozens of farms in Israel and forced many farmers to uproot the tomato plants and close greenhouses. The significant decrease in the harvest has led to an increase in tomato prices for the consumer and the import of an unprecedented amount of tomatoes in recent years, mainly from Turkey and Gaza.

According to the data of the Ministry of Agriculture, the import of tomatoes is on the rise, when in 2019 tomatoes made up almost 40% of the amount of imports of fresh vegetables!. According to the Plant Council data, in 2014 there was an import of about 3,000 tons of tomato to Israel and in 2019 there was an import of about 40,000 tons of tomato, as a result of a continuous decrease in the amount of the crop, for example in 2016 about 11 thousand tons of tomato were sold from the Bekaa region, compared to 2019 where they managed to market only about 5,000 tons, out of the crop that survived the virus, as well as from the tomato growing areas in the Negev, in 2016 about 26 thousand tons and in 2019 about 14 thousand tons were marketed, from the center of the country about 2016 thousand tons were marketed in 25 and in 2019 about 14 thousand tons and in the Eshkol region, which is considered the leading supplier of tomatoes in Israel, about 2016 thousand tons were sold in 84 and in 2019 about 68 thousand tons only.

At the same time, the crisis gave its signals in the price of the tomato to the consumer. In 2013, the average consumer price for a kilo of tomato was NIS 5.16, and in 2019, the price was already NIS 6.46.

Idan Alon, a tomato grower in the Gaza Strip, who currently grows the 'Lansor' tomato: "In recent years, my fellow farmers and I have been helpless against the virus that affected half of the tomato crop, we had to destroy large amounts of fruit and some of us even switched to other agricultural crops. The news of 'Gedera-Syngenta seeds' is a hope and expectation for us, that we will be able to go back and grow healthy and resistant tomatoes for the Israeli consumer. Already now I notice the new tomato plants, which are growing in a promising and durable manner, the plants are in very good condition and have the potential for efficient and healthy growth."

The new variety will ensure an increase of approximately 50% in the amount of the tomato crop in Israel, over the coming years and will lead to the stabilization of the tomato industry in Israel, both in terms of reducing imports and in terms of lowering the price for the consumer.

A team of agronomists of 'Gedara-Syngenta Seeds', in cooperation with the tomato growers in the Gaza Strip, set up greenhouses for growing

and the cultivation of the new variety, covering an area of ​​about 10 dunams. With the success of the crop, the first marketing to the marketing chains in Israel began this month and at the same time the company will start distributing 'Lansor' seeds to countries around the world, where the tomato crop has been affected as a result of the virus. The forecast - in the middle of 2021, over 100 tons of tomatoes are expected to be marketed, and already in the fall of 2022 there will be about 400 dunams of 'Lansor' tomato growing greenhouses in Israel, which will bring about a balance in the amount of the tomato crop in Israel, when the yield will increase by about 50% per dunam.

When the world's deadliest ToBRFV virus was discovered in 2014, a global race began in the R&D laboratories of the seed companies and research institutes in the world to find a tomato variety with disease-resistant properties. The breakthrough came at the end of only 5 years of research, in the R&D laboratories of the Syngenta company, which produced a new and healthy tomato variety. The success of the Syngenta company in the global race to find the resistant strain is thanks to the huge genetic pool (germplasm), resistant to different levels, to the ToBRFV virus and through innovative and advanced technology, the team of researchers was able to promote very high resistance, in specific genes and produce a resistant strain.

Dr. Pilar Cheka, Global Tomato Cultivation Manager at Syngenta: "By rapid development and the use of molecular markers, we were able to develop a virus-resistant strain in just five years, when normally developing a resistant strain can take up to 10 years! Thanks to the success of the research, the development of the resistance method can be deployed to a wide variety of varieties in our genetic database."

Rod Kagman, head of the tomato unit at Syngenta: "Syngenta's R&D team is one step ahead of everyone else with the launch of the first commercial variety resistant to the virus - ToBRFV, and we are already working to introduce the 'Lansor' variety in our cultivation programs Around the world and in the coming years, we will build broad durability in the selection of our products."

Lior Kushnir, CEO of 'Gedara-Syngenta Seeds': "We are proud to be the first to bring the breakthrough that will bring an end to the ToBRFV virus crisis in tomatoes. In recent years in the agriculture industry, the eyes were on the advanced research world of cultivating new and resistant varieties, hoping for the genetic cracking that would produce a new and resistant tomato variety. The introduction of this groundbreaking variety, resistant to the virus, indicates the dedication of 'Gedera Seeds - Syngenta' to support growers and agriculture, combined with innovative technology, in order to ensure that high-value vegetable crops produce their full genetic potential, while improving the quality, Convenience and productivity, for the benefit of growers, marketers, retailers and consumers."

Tamir Basson, marketing manager of 'Gedera-Syngenta Seeds': "Tomato growers around the world and in Israel, have been waiting anxiously for a solution that will win the fight against the ToBRFV virus. The new variety 'Lansor' with IR resistance - which is considered particularly good resistance, which can be planted in greenhouses and net houses, will soon be marketed to farmers throughout the country, who will receive personal and professional support from the team of agronomists of 'Garda-Syngenta Seeds'."

The tomato is one of the most important crops in the world's agriculture sector, the best-selling vegetable and a basic product in every household's salad. In Israel, the per capita consumption of tomatoes is an average of 20 kg per year. There are about 400 tomato growers in Israel, and the extent of the tomato growing area is about 24 thousand dunams, with the main growing area in the country being in the Gaza Strip, in the West Bank region, as well as in the Western Negev region, the Arava, Negev regions and fields, Lachish, the Shefala, Hadera, the Bekaa and Beit Shean.

'Gedera-Syngenta Seeds' - one of the oldest and leading companies in the vegetable seed industry in Israel and the world. The company advocates innovation and works hard to provide its customers with high-quality and advanced genetics alongside innovative growing solutions that respond to changing climate and market conditions, alongside the unique challenges of vegetable growers in Israel and around the world. The company invests over 100 million dollars a year in research and development in the field of vegetables and seeds.

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