Colored Mulches May help Cut Down on TSWV

摘要

Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV) continues to be a problem in California as well as other parts of the country. Signs of the devastating disease include the stunting of leaves that tend to have a dull, yellowish appearance with brown, dead spots. Since it's very difficult to predict when and where the TSWV will show up in the fields, most researchers agree that controlling thrips or using TSWV-resistant varieties is the best defense growers have against the virus. One interesting new approach that researchers have taken toward preventing thrips is using colored mulches in the fields. Joe Nunez, a Kern County farm adviser, and Brenna Aegerte, a San Joaquin County farm adviser, have both done trials in peppers and tomatoes using different colored mulches.