The information and recommendations in this newsletter are applicable to North Carolina and may not apply in other areas.
The information and recommendations in this newsletter are applicable to North Carolina and may not apply in other areas.
From: Tom Melton, Extension Plant Pathologist
As predicted earlier, tomato spotted wilt virus has rapidly become a problem in some areas of southeastern North Carolina. Fields with over 10% tomato spotted wilt have been reported. We even have some in our tomato spotted wilt test plots, so it must be really bad.
I will answer a few questions I have received. There is no effective remedial control known. The virus is only spread by thrips, not by equipment, and no, not even by deer. Infections probably occurred in the field unless symptoms were observed less than two weeks after transplanting. The disease it most commonly is confused with is tobacco streak virus. Streak is usually most severe in years when tomato spotted wilt is severe; thrips are also important in the spread of streak. Streak's distribution is almost always clustered along field borders, whereas tomato spotted wilt is usually randomly scattered in a field. Tomato spotted wilt kills young (less than 10-inch tall) plants VERY fast and is often confused with Rhizoctonia. Tomato spotted wilt does cause stem lesions on young plants.
Listed below are two images and three web sites with more information on tomato spotted wilt of tobacco:
Host Range:
http://biology.anu.edu.au/Groups/MES/vide/descr837.htm#Range
University of Georgia information (see bottom of page for tobacco):
http://www.ces.uga.edu/pubcd/b1127.html
General and scientific information:
http://www.scisoc.org/feature/tospovirus/Links.htm
Employment and program opportunities are offered to all people regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.
Last modified on May 24, 1999 by Stephen J. Toth, Jr.
