Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (w/ Pix)

[feldon30]

Is anyone trying aluminium foil? Or is that not really viable in a home garden?

[shelleybean]

Looks like my Lollipop plant now has TSWV too.

I've never tried foil on a tomato plant. I did try it one year on a squash vine. I read an article in Kitchen Gardener magazine when that was still being published and it said to wrap the foil around the stem to keep the squash vine borer from getting in--didn't work. What's foil supposed to do to the thrips on tomatoes?

[Patrina_Pepperina]

I hate this disease! The plants have barely started to grow buds and this Cheeky F2 plant is already infected. I've only just put up sticky traps for this second plantout.



Click for larger image

PP

[shelleybean]

I hate it, too. I'm sorry to see it's a problem again.

[shelleybean]

Patrina, I have a few questions for you about the TSWV, if that's okay.

First, when you have cold weather, how cold does it typically get? If it's colder than normal, do you see any improvement when you set your plants out or is it pretty much the same amount of damage no matter what? And have you seen a significant increase in TSWV in the last three years?

And we'll continue to discuss what to do to get some relief from this awful virus as we go...I hope we can beat it.

For those who are not familiar, it's just awful. It can wipe out your entire tomato garden. And now fusarium has settled into my garden too so I don't know what 2008 will hold. 2006 and 2007 were terrible tomato years, but 2005 was the best I'd ever had. So I guess we'll have to wait and see.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you, Patrina!

[feldon30]

A sheet of foil laid down as a mulch is supposed to eliminate the safe place that thrips usually visit on the plant -- the underside of the leaves.

In a study, it was more effective than any of the strongest, most toxic pesticides available.

[shelleybean]

Interesting, Feldon. I always have my first TSWV sighting on new growth at the top of the plant, I guess because they like to go into the newly opened blossoms. Now that my plants are around seven feet tall, I'm wondering if laying foil on the ground would do any good. Foil is cheap though, so it's worth a try. Thanks.

[Liz]

Thanks, Feldon for this tip.
I am going to try aluminum foil also; heck, it's cheap and cheerful to boot.

[Big Hutch]

I received the following information from a co-worker who is a horticulturalist with the LSU AgCenter with 30 years experience.

Thrips are attracted to yellow. That is why the come to the tomato blossoms. He recommends using any yellow container like a yellow bucket and smearing vasoline in the container and around the rim on the outside. This is a cheap but effective thrip contol.

Also, simple cultural practices can be helpful. Thrips spent time on some of the various thistles and other yellow flowers. Mowing these other attractant plants seems to help.

Just some thoughts.
Robbie

[b54red]

I don't know where the thrips are coming from but they just keep showing up on my plants. I just had to pull my only Earl's Faux because of TSWV. Two down and about 100 more to go. So far the virus is way behind the destruction caused by fusarium wilt and I hope it stays that way. I fear from the number of thrips I have seen this year that my loses could be even worse than last year which was the worst for TSWV I have experienced. I check the plants daily for thrips and for most of the last month they have been in abundance.

[semi_lucid]

Originally Posted by b54red

I don't know where the thrips are coming from but they just keep showing up on my plants.

Around here, when the winter wheat dries up in spring, the thrips can take to the air by the millions.

[semi_lucid]

b54red

If the pupae/larvae get infected in the first few days of their life, and then drop to the ground for a few says before emerging as infected adults, maybe you should kill the soil under the infected plant you pulled. Pour some bleach on it or something.

If you read in the post above:

Only larvae pick up the virus and only adults transmit it. Adults can transmit the virus within 30 minutes of feeding. If larval stages can be controlled, virus transmission can be prevented, even if adult thrips are present

In other words, the pupae emerging from under infected plants are guaranteed to be infected. Kill em while they are in the ground.

It may be a good idea to try to kill them in the ground under any infected plant, even before you pull the plant.

Any suggestions as to what might be the best treatment to do that? Bleach? Maybe some bleach covered with plastic sheet so the chlorine gas will get them.

John

[feldon30]

Yes, I thought about this too. That it would only protect the bottom few inches of the plant. And in Houston, because of fungus, we generally prune off the bottom 12"-18" of foliage once the plants are 3'-4' tall.

[lakeshorenc]

*****delete*****

[shelleybean]

Sevin won't protect you from TSWV. The little bugs that spread the virus, thrips, go inside the blossom and that's how the plant is infected. I am using the blue sticky traps that are supposed to attract the thrips but I've lost two plants to TSWV so far this season. Last year I lost almost all my tomatoes to this virus. I feel your pain, believe me.