Lycopersicon esculentum seed 2

Country
European Union (EU)
Group
Grains / Seeds
End use
Sowing
NPPO Details
European Commission, Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety
Relevant Web Addresses
https://ec.europa.eu/food/plant_en
Criteria Criteria Required?
Import Permit No
Phytosanitary Certificate Yes
Additional Declaration/Endorsement Yes
Protocol Market No

Where applicable, the exporter is to provide evidence attesting to the endorsement and present it to the Authorised Officer at the time of inspection.

This ICR applies to seeds produced on or after 14 December 2019. Refer to the MICoR case Lycopersicon Esculentum Seed for exporting seeds produced before 14 December 2019.

Consignments are to be free from pests, soil, weed seeds and extraneous material.
 
It is the exporter’s responsibility to ensure that the phytosanitary certificate is issued within 14 days of the consignment being exported from Australia.

Refer to the departure date and inspection date in the Request for Permit.
Seeds may also be certified as the synonym Solanum lycopersicum seed on the phytosanitary certificate.

From 15 August 2020, Lycopersicon esculentum seeds exported from Australia to the EU must be tested prior to export and found free of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) regardless of their origin. These emergency measures will be in place until 31 May 2022.

Note:
  • Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) is not known to occur in Australia.

ToBRFV sampling schemes


Sampling of seeds for testing for ToBRFV must be carried out under the following sampling schemes depending on the seed lots as referred to in the relevant table of the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures 31 Methodologies for sampling of consignments (ISPM 31): 

  • For seed lots less than or equal to 3,000 seeds: application of a hypergeometric sampling scheme able to identify with 95% reliability a level of presence of infected plants of 10% or above;
  • For seed lots of more than 3,000 but less than 30,000 seeds: application of a sampling scheme able to identify with 95% reliability a level of presence of infected plants of 1% or above;
  • For seed lots of more than 30,000 seeds: application of a sampling scheme able to identify with 95% reliability a level of presence of infected plants of 0,1 % or above. 

Sub samples must consist of 1,000 seeds maximum for Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) methods. Sub samples shall consist of 250 seeds maximum for the Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay (ELISA) method.

ToBRFV testing methods

One of the following testing methods must be used for the detection of ToBRFV on seeds:

  • ELISA (accepted only until 1 October 2020);
  • Real-time PCR using the primers and probes described in the ISF protocol (2020)(Protocol developed by the International Seed Federation (International Seed Health Initiative for Vegetable Crops (ISHI-Veg));
  • Real-time PCR using primers and probe of Menzel and Winter (Acta Horticulturae, in press).
If a positive result is obtained from the first test (detection test), a second testing method which is different from the one used for detection must be carried out, using the same sample to confirm the identification. If there is inconsistency between detection and identification results obtained for coated seeds, the coating of the seeds must be removed and the seeds should be retested.


Explanation of the endorsements

Endorsement 6017:
  • A seed supplier's declaration or an exporter declaration must be provided as evidence that the seeds have been obtained by an appropriate acid extraction method or an equivalent method. 
  • An area freedom certificate must be provided as evidence that the seeds originate in areas where Tomato canker (Clavibacter michiganensis ssp michiganensis), Xanthomonas euvesicatoria, Xanthomonas perforans, Bacterial spot of pepper (Xanthomonas vesicatoria) and Potato spindle tuber viroid are not known to occur.
  • Pepino mosaic virus, Xanthomonas gardneri and Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) are not known to occur in Australia. Freedom from these pests may be endorsed without any supporting evidence.
  • A laboratory analysis certificate must be provided as evidence that the seeds or their mother plants have been tested and found free of ToBRFV. 
Endorsement 6018:
  • A seed supplier's declaration or an exporter declaration must be provided as evidence that the seeds have been obtained by an appropriate acid extraction method or an equivalent method. 
  • A crop inspection report must be provided as evidence that no symptoms of diseases caused by Tomato canker (Clavibacter michiganensis ssp michiganensis), Xanthomonas euvesicatoria, Xanthomonas perforans, Bacterial spot of pepper (Xanthomonas vesicatoria) and Potato spindle tuber viroid have been observed during field inspections.
  • Pepino mosaic virus, Xanthomonas gardneri and Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) are not known to occur in Australia. Freedom from these pests may be endorsed without any supporting evidence.
  • A laboratory analysis certificate must be provided as evidence that the seeds or their mother plants have been tested and found free of ToBRFV.
Endorsement 6019:
  • A seed supplier's declaration or an exporter declaration must be provided as evidence that the seeds have been obtained by an appropriate acid extraction method or an equivalent method. 
  • A laboratory analysis certificate must be provided as evidence that the seeds have been tested and found free of Tomato canker (Clavibacter michiganensis ssp michiganensis), Xanthomonas euvesicatoria, Xanthomonas perforans, Bacterial spot of pepper (Xanthomonas vesicatoria) and Potato spindle tuber viroid.
  • Pepino mosaic virus, Xanthomonas gardneri and Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) are not known to occur in Australia. Freedom from these pests may be endorsed without any supporting evidence.
  • A laboratory analysis certificate must be provided as evidence that the seeds or their mother plants have been tested and found free of ToBRFV.

Note:
Pepino mosaic virus and Xanthomonas gardneri are not known to occur in Australia. No evidence is required for endorsing freedom from this pest.
Option 1 (EXDOC Endorsement 6017)
1) The seeds have been obtained by means of an appropriate acid extraction method or an equivalent method.
2) The seeds originate in areas where Tomato canker (Clavibacter michiganensis ssp michiganensis), Xanthomonas euvesicatoria, Xanthomonas perforans, Bacterial spot of pepper (Xanthomonas vesicatoria) and Potato spindle tuber viroid are not known to occur.
3) Pepino mosaic virus, Xanthomonas gardneri and Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) are not known to occur in Australia.
4) The seeds or their mother plants have been found free through official sampling and testing procedures of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV).

Option 2 (EXDOC Endorsement 6018)
1) The seeds have been obtained by means of an appropriate acid extraction method or an equivalent method.
2) No symptoms of diseases caused by Tomato canker (Clavibacter michiganensis ssp michiganensis), Xanthomonas euvesicatoria, Xanthomonas perforans, Bacterial spot of pepper (Xanthomonas vesicatoria) and Potato spindle tuber viroid have been observed in visual inspections at appropriate times during the complete cycle of vegetation of the plants at the site of production.
3) Pepino mosaic virus, Xanthomonas gardneri and Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) are not known to occur in Australia.
4) The seeds or their mother plants have been found free through official sampling and testing procedures of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV).

Option 3 (EXDOC Endorsement 6019)
1) The seeds have been obtained by means of an appropriate acid extraction method or an equivalent method.
2) The seeds have been subjected to official testing for Tomato canker (Clavibacter michiganensis ssp michiganensis), Xanthomonas euvesicatoria, Xanthomonas perforans, Bacterial spot of pepper (Xanthomonas vesicatoria) and Potato spindle tuber viroid on a representative sample and using appropriate methods, whether or not following an appropriate treatment, and have been found, in these tests, free from Tomato canker (Clavibacter michiganensis ssp michiganensis), Xanthomonas euvesicatoria, Xanthomonas perforans, Bacterial spot of pepper (Xanthomonas vesicatoria) and Potato spindle tuber viroid. 
3) Pepino mosaic virus, Xanthomonas gardneri and Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) are not known to occur in Australia.
4) The seeds or their mother plants have been found free through official sampling and testing procedures of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV).
16/06/2026 - Updated general requirements for endorsements 6017, 6018 and 6019.
Initial Uploaded: 13/12/2019
Reviewed Uploaded: 18/07/2026