Tomato mottle mosaic virus (ToMMV) is a stable tobamovirus that can cause economic damage in tomato and pepper production. Tobamoviruses are primarily transmitted through infected seeds, planting material, and mechanical means, though some can also spread via water. However, for ToMMV, this transmission route has not yet been investigated. In this study, we examined whether ToMMV can be released from infected plants into the nutrient solution, survive in water, and cause infections in healthy plants when contaminated water or substrate is used. The main findings of this research were that infectious ToMMV particles are released from the roots of infected plants into the nutrient solution, where they remain present for several weeks. The virus retained its infectivity in water at room temperature for up to 27 weeks. In hydroponic systems, infection of healthy plants occurred only if their roots were mechanically damaged and exposed to ToMMV-contaminated nutrient solution. In the growth substrate, infection was confirmed in seedlings and plants grown from seeds if they were irrigated with ToMMV-contaminated water. Infection also occurred in plants planted in pre-contaminated substrate, even when uncontaminated water was used for irrigation. The results confirm that water can be a significant factor in the spread of ToMMV, which has important implications for disease management in intensive production. We recommend implementing monitoring of irrigation water and substrates, as well as applying appropriate hygiene measures to prevent the spread of infections.
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