Source: NCSU COOPERATIVE EXTENSION, 4/19/18


This is the fifth thrips flight and TSWV risk assessment report. Read about why we are posting these reports and more in our first report here. Read more about tobacco thrips biology and TSWV transmission here.

Tobacco transplant is underway in North Carolina. Growers are reminded that the information presented here is intended to supplement, but not replace, farm specific predictions. To date, none of our report locations are predicted to experience a third generation thrips flight within the next two weeks. The predictions presented below will improve as we get closer to transplant dates and after transplant. Growers should use the most recent information to make management decisions!

Note that some of the thrips flight dates are slightly different in the report below than in our first report. This is because we have switched to using ZIP codes for cities rather than selecting them from a map. This shifted the locations which we used weather data for slightly. These differences do not change overall recommendations, but they do underscore how important it is for growers to generate predictions for their own field locations.

Kenly is a relatively low TSWV risk site, situated within large acreage production areas in Johnston and Wilson Counties. As of today, TSWV infection risk in Kenly is the same as in a typical year. The third generation tobacco thrips flight (the generation that typically transmits the most TSWV) is not expected to occur during the next 14 days. At this time last year, we were 79% of the way to the third generation thrips flight, and this year, we are 58% of the way to the third generation thrips flight.This means that the population is maturing slower in 2018 than in 2017. Last year the third generation thrips flight occurred on May 10. Growers near Kenly planning to transplant within the next 14 days likely do not need to take additional management precautions for TSWV at this time.

For the full report, click here.