Impact of Early Spring Weather Factors on the Risk of Tomato Spotted Wilt in Peanut.

Peanut growers in the southeastern United States have suffered significant economic losses due to spotted wilt caused by Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). The virus is transmitted by western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis, and tobacco thrips, F. fusca, and was first reported in the southeast in 1986. The severity of this disease is extremely variable in individual peanut fields, perhaps due to the sensitivity of the vector population to changing weather patterns. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of early spring weather on spotted wilt risk in peanut. On-farm surveys of spotted wilt severity were conducted in Georgia peanut fields in 1998, 1999, 2002, 2004, and 2005. The percent spotted wilt intensity (%) for cv. Georgia Green was recorded and categorized into three intensity levels: low, moderate, and high. Meteorological data were obtained from the Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network for the period between March 1 and April 30. Statistical analysis was conducted to identify weather variables that had significant impact on spotted wilt intensity. The results indicated a high probability of spotted wilt if the number of rain days during March was greater than or equal to 10 days and planting was before 11 May or after 5 June. The total evapotranspiration in April (>127 mm) and the average daily minimum temperature in March (>6.8°C) similarly increased the risk of spotted wilt. Knowing in advance the level of spotted wilt risk expected in a peanut field could assist growers with evaluating management options and significantly improve the impact of their decisions against spotted wilt risk in peanut.

A predictive model for spotted wilt epidemics in peanut based on local weather conditions and the tomato spotted wilt virus risk index.

Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), a member of the genus Tospovirus (family Bunyaviridae), is an important plant virus that causes severe damage to peanut (Arachis hypogaea) in the southeastern United States. Disease severity has been extremely variable in individual fields in Georgia, due to several factors including variability in weather patterns. A TSWV risk index has been developed by the University of Georgia to aid peanut growers with the assessment and avoidance of high risk situations. This study was conducted to examine the relationship between weather parameters and spotted wilt severity in peanut, and to develop a predictive model that integrates localized weather information into the risk index. On-farm survey data collected during 1999, 2002, 2004, and 2005 growing seasons, and derived weather variables during the same years were analyzed using nonlinear and multiple regression analyses. Meteorological data were obtained from the Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network. The best model explained 61% of the variation in spotted wilt severity (square root transformed) as a function of the interactions between the TSWV risk index, the average daily temperature in April (TavA), the average daily minimum temperature between March and April (TminMA), the accumulated rainfall in March (RainfallM), the accumulated rainfall in April (RainfallA), the number of rain days in April (RainDayA), evapotranspiration in April (EVTA), and the number of days from 1 January to the planting date (JulianDay). Integrating this weather-based model with the TSWV risk index may help peanut growers more effectively manage tomato spotted wilt disease.

Incidence and Causes of Postharvest Fruit Rot in Stored Michigan Cranberries.

The incidence of postharvest fruit rot and associated fungi was studied in stored cranberries in Michigan in 2000 and 2001. Ripe cranberries were harvested from eight commercial farms in southwest and northeast Michigan, including the Upper Peninsula. Eight cranberry cultivars were represented: Stevens, Searles, Le Munyon, Pilgrim, Ben Lear, Bergman, Beckwith, and WSU 61. Fruit rot incidence was assessed within 1 week after harvest. Remaining sound fruit was stored for 2 months at 5°C, and fungi were isolated from rotted fruit after 1 and 2 months of storage. Year and region, but not cultivar, significantly affected the overall rate of rot development in storage. Storage rot levels generally were lower in 2001 than in 2000, particularly in southern Michigan. A high incidence of field rot at harvest did not necessarily lead to a high incidence of storage rot. Storage rot tended to be more severe in the northern than in the southern growing region. Fungi most frequently associated with storage rot were Fusicoccum putrefaciens, Colletotrichum acutatum, Coleophoma empetri, Phomopsis vaccinii, and Phyllosticta elongata. F. putrefaciens was the predominant storage rot fungus in northern Michigan in both years and caused up to 80% fruit rot in storage. C. empetri and P. elongata also were isolated more frequently from beds in northern than southern Michigan in 2001. The cvs. Pilgrim and Stevens were more susceptible to storage rot caused by Colletotrichum acutatum, and Bergman and WSU 61 were more susceptible to storage rot caused by Phomopsis vaccinii than some of the other cultivars.

A First Assessment of the Cranberry Fruit Rot Complex in Michigan.

Samples of ripe fruit were taken at harvest from all eight commercial cranberry farms in Michigan over a 3-year period to determine the distribution and incidence of fruit rot diseases and the fungal pathogens associated with rotted fruit. Totals of 23, 33, and 28 beds were sampled in 1999, 2000, and 2001, respectively. Fruit rot incidence varied widely among beds and farms and ranged from 5 to 97% (mean 33.4%) in 1999, 1 to 91% (mean 26.3%) in 2000, and 1 to 67% (mean 12.8%) in 2001. Differences in fruit rot incidence were observed among cultivars, but rankings differed among farms. In general, cultivars Ben Lear, Bergman, and Pilgrim tended to have lower and Beckwith and WSU61 higher fruit rot incidence than other cultivars grown in the same location. Colletotrichum acutatum, Pestalotia vaccinii, and Phyllosticta vaccinii were the fungi most frequently recovered from rotted fruit. Fusicoccum putrefaciens, Phomopsis vaccinii, Physalospora vaccinii, Allantophomopsis lycopodina, Coleophoma empetri, and Botrytis cinerea were isolated occasionally in 1999. The isolation frequency of Physalospora vaccinii, Phomopsis vaccinii, and C. empetri increased markedly in 2000. Glomerella cingulata was first detected in 2001. Fusicoccum putrefaciens was most common in the northern and Glomerella cingulata in the southern growing areas. A comparison of sound and rotted fruit from selected beds showed that Phyllosticta elongata predominated in sound fruit, whereas G. cingulata predominated in rotted fruit.