I’ve been growing tomatoes for four years, but this year, for the first time, one particular type has started developing brown rings (see attached photo). Out of my 130 tomato plants, 27 are of this specific type, and nearly all of them are showing these markings or discolorations on their fruit. The other varieties, however, have not exhibited this problem—not even on a single tomato.

Has anyone encountered something like this? If so, what is it, and how can it be prevented?

BRN1234 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 08, 2025 12:27 pm I’ve been growing tomatoes for four years, but this year, for the first time, one particular type has started developing brown rings (see attached photo). Out of my 130 tomato plants, 27 are of this specific type, and nearly all of them are showing these markings or discolorations on their fruit. The other varieties, however, have not exhibited this problem—not even on a single tomato.

Has anyone encountered something like this? If so, what is it, and how can it be prevented?

Hi, the photos don’t show up for me.

Can't see photos.

Yep. Your image didn't attach properly.

Since you mentioned brown rings, take a look at this link I picked up from google, one of many but it shows brown rings very clearly which in this case are associated with Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus.
https://www.vegetables.bayer.com/ca/en- ... virus.html

The virus can be seedborne, so showing up on a single variety would be consistent with that issue.
Unfortunately it is extremely easy to spread and for a large grow operation as you mentioned, pretty much deadly.
Your university extension or ag department local should be able to help confirm the problem and what to do.

You may have to consider other crops to grow instead of tomatoes or peppers, for some years ahead.

@BRN1234 I can't see the pic's either. Try this: viewtopic.php?t=5499
Once we have a photo, it will be so much easier to help you.

If you hit reply with quote, you can see these links to the images in the message while you're typing yours:

https://1drv.ms/i/c/7e7ca27de9168e66/ET ... g?e=tSLpSj

https://1drv.ms/i/c/7e7ca27de9168e66/Ef ... g?e=veRQZI

I don't know what that is, however. It doesn't quite look like the pictures I see for Tomato Brown Rugose Virus. One of the pictures looks like it might be damage from an insect. Possibly stinkbugs.

Stinkbugs do suck on fruit, including before it's ripe.

Wonderberries (Solanum burbankii as seen on Trade Winds Fruit) seem to be a good trap crop for stinkbugs (they prefer them over tomatoes in my experience, and wonderberries are prolific enough that you can still get a decent harvest even if the stinkbugs get their fill).

I was able to see one of the images that Shule linked: here's a screenshot of it.
I have never seen anything like this so someone else may be able to help.

Here is the other image. I haven't seen this before either. It almost looks as if it were branded with heat.

The brown spots are concentric, so... could this be Buckeye rot?

https://njaes.rutgers.edu/fs547/

https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/server/ap ... 47/content

Buckeye rot.
I've never heard of it before.

The brown rugose fruit virus spots are described as "wrinkly" (aka rugose) but hard to tell from the scale of the pic, they just look smooth to my old eyes at this resolution. Pictures of the virus in google images do look like the fruit surface is quite puckered up, so that is a distinction to look for.
The only cases of TBRFV that I've heard of in the USA were related to F1 seeds produced in a greenhouse.
So if that one variety that got the spots was an F1, I'd be worried about it.

Buckeye rot, they say that it's soil dwelling and usually affects fruit in contact with the ground, but it could be splashed I guess. They also say that no tomato varieties are resistant to it, so it makes less sense that only one variety is affected.

What does the apical foliage look like? Is there any mottling or distortion in foliage?
This looks very concerning for tbrfv.
Mosaic viruses show up first in foliage.
Where did you get the seed

KarenO