Source: NCSU COOPERATIVE EXTENSION, 3/18/20


This is the seventh of our weekly TSWV and tobacco thrips risk assessment updates. Third generation flights have now begun at 2 of our 8 report locations, which impacts management choices. We may also need to consider management efforts for fourth-generation flights at some of these locations considering the slow start much of the crop has gotten. Fields planted within a month of the fourth generation flight may warrant additional attention. 

Managing tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) in North Carolina tobacco requires both pre-transplant and post-transplant decisions, which are most effective when timed to thrips movement into tobacco fields. The winter of 2019/2020 was historically mild which raises concerns about increased infection due to greater survival and reproduction of thrips vectors of TSWV.

For more of this story, click here.