Is this TSWV?

Vince · March 23, 2007

Yesterday I noticed that my Sungolds had spottty leaves. I defoliated them in hopes of containing the infection. Them after reading about TSWV I thought that maybe they have this. The most affected leaves are already in the trash but I found this one today, have a look. I am not sure if I should pull these or not, thanks for the advice in advance.

Top and bottum view of affected Leaf.

**Lee** · March 23, 2007

Hard to decide at this point. TSWV is spread by thrips. Do you have thrips in your
part of CA?
If so, check on the flowers of your plants and see if you can detect some really
small looking bugs that resemble fleas.

I have found that TSWV pretty much kills the plant eventually, so there is no
reason to keep it, unless you have ripening fruit when you first see the disease.

At this point, though, I would wait and see what transpires before taking such
drastic measures.

Lee

shelleybean · March 23, 2007

I agree with Lee. It's hard to tell from just those few spots. Don't pull your plants just yet. I did what you did, cutting off the spotted foliage. If that's what it is, it'll be all over a bunch more in a couple of days and you should have a better idea of what it is and maybe you can post another picture. I hope, for your sake, it's not TSWV. It's such a frustrating situation because once the plant has it, there's nothing you can do but take it out.

Vince · March 23, 2007

I don't know for sure if there are thrips in my area. I couldn't find anything specific to my area by googling. But, I found some information about thrips in Irvine CA, which is about 45 minutes from here. Apparently there is TSWV and thrips there, so since its so close I probably do too. I will wait and see what the plants look like in a few days when the new leaves come in.

Vince

**nctomatoman** · March 23, 2007

Sungold is very, very susceptible to foliage spotting early in the season, especially when cool and rainy. I've seen this many times - the plants recover when the weather warms up.

feldon30 · March 24, 2007

The thing is, once you identify TSWV, you're supposed to pull and trash the plant immediately to prevent your other plants from getting infected by tomato-hopping thrips.

Sucks to wait. Sucks to pull the trigger.

I am not an organic nut by any stretch of the imagination. If I got wiped out by TSWV one year, then I'd reach for a nasty chemical if I knew it would work particularly well the next.

So it was nice to find this article (which I'm sure some folks here have already read and may have even been linked to already) which says that after trying both really toxic insecticides and less toxic insecticides, they found the most effective solution was tin foil hats. No wait, I mean highly UV-reflective mulch. So we may have found a way to foil this problem.

I really shouldn't post before I've had coffee.

amideutch · March 24, 2007

All, Check out Polar_Lace's thread concerning putting pie tins at the base of the plants. She might have something. This might help in controlling thrips according to what Feldon found concerning reflective mulch. Ami
http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=2883

honu · March 25, 2007

Vince chemist, Are the growing tips of the plant affected? Does your plant appear to be stunted?
According to a plant pathologist at our University, viral symptoms are often most obvious in an area of active cell division, i.e., the youngest leaves, the growing tip.
A publication from our University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture says of TSWV:
"Tomato plant growth ceases and senescence is promoted after infection with spotted wilt virus. In older plants, leaves near the growing tips show dark, bronze or purplish, circular necrotic spots. Fruits also show circular concentric marks. Tomato spotted wilt virus is the only virus known to be transmitted by thrips."

**Lee** · March 26, 2007

Great information folks! Honu, that description is spot on. (excuse the pun..)
Univ of Fla is also another really good source of information about this problem.
I don't have the ariticles handy, but I saw a report of some research they did
that determined over-fertilization (N mainly) tended to increase the likelihood of
infection, perhaps by attracting more of the vectors (thrips)....

This is a great post Vince, and I sincerely hope you don't have TSWV!

Lee

P.S. Anyone think we should take the information here and add it to the TSWV
sticky as well?

Suze · March 26, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee

Anyone think we should take the information here and add it to the TSWV sticky as well?

Yes, great information. I just copied this discussion to the sticky.

Vince · March 27, 2007

hONU,

The growing tips do not seem to be affected. The plants are not stunted.

Craig,

I think you are right in that this is just early spotting on the sungolds. The new foliage including the growing tips look fine now. I am pretty sure it is not TSWV! Thanks everyone.

Vince

**Lee** · March 27, 2007

Great news! I don't wish TSWV on anyone.... well maybe one.....

March 23, 2007	#1
Vince Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Riverside, CA Posts: 942	Is this TSWV? Yesterday I noticed that my Sungolds had spottty leaves. I defoliated them in hopes of containing the infection. Them after reading about TSWV I thought that maybe they have this. The most affected leaves are already in the trash but I found this one today, have a look. I am not sure if I should pull these or not, thanks for the advice in advance. Top and bottum view of affected Leaf. __________________ Vince Last edited by Vince; March 23, 2007 at 01:36 PM.

March 23, 2007	#2
Lee Tomatopalooza™ Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NC-Zone 7 Posts: 2,188	Hard to decide at this point. TSWV is spread by thrips. Do you have thrips in your part of CA? If so, check on the flowers of your plants and see if you can detect some really small looking bugs that resemble fleas. I have found that TSWV pretty much kills the plant eventually, so there is no reason to keep it, unless you have ripening fruit when you first see the disease. At this point, though, I would wait and see what transpires before taking such drastic measures. Lee __________________ Intelligence is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put one in a fruit salad. Cuostralee - The best thing on sliced bread.

March 23, 2007	#3
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	I agree with Lee. It's hard to tell from just those few spots. Don't pull your plants just yet. I did what you did, cutting off the spotted foliage. If that's what it is, it'll be all over a bunch more in a couple of days and you should have a better idea of what it is and maybe you can post another picture. I hope, for your sake, it's not TSWV. It's such a frustrating situation because once the plant has it, there's nothing you can do but take it out. __________________ Michele

March 23, 2007	#4
Vince Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Riverside, CA Posts: 942	I don't know for sure if there are thrips in my area. I couldn't find anything specific to my area by googling. But, I found some information about thrips in Irvine CA, which is about 45 minutes from here. Apparently there is TSWV and thrips there, so since its so close I probably do too. I will wait and see what the plants look like in a few days when the new leaves come in. Vince __________________ Vince

March 23, 2007	#5
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	Sungold is very, very susceptible to foliage spotting early in the season, especially when cool and rainy. I've seen this many times - the plants recover when the weather warms up. __________________ Craig

March 24, 2007	#6
feldon30 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 5,346	The thing is, once you identify TSWV, you're supposed to pull and trash the plant immediately to prevent your other plants from getting infected by tomato-hopping thrips. Sucks to wait. Sucks to pull the trigger. I am not an organic nut by any stretch of the imagination. If I got wiped out by TSWV one year, then I'd reach for a nasty chemical if I knew it would work particularly well the next. So it was nice to find this article (which I'm sure some folks here have already read and may have even been linked to already) which says that after trying both really toxic insecticides and less toxic insecticides, they found the most effective solution was tin foil hats. No wait, I mean highly UV-reflective mulch. So we may have found a way to foil this problem. I really shouldn't post before I've had coffee.

March 24, 2007	#7
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	All, Check out Polar_Lace's thread concerning putting pie tins at the base of the plants. She might have something. This might help in controlling thrips according to what Feldon found concerning reflective mulch. Ami http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=2883 __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'

March 25, 2007	#8
honu Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Hawaii Posts: 270	Vince chemist, Are the growing tips of the plant affected? Does your plant appear to be stunted? According to a plant pathologist at our University, viral symptoms are often most obvious in an area of active cell division, i.e., the youngest leaves, the growing tip. A publication from our University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture says of TSWV: "Tomato plant growth ceases and senescence is promoted after infection with spotted wilt virus. In older plants, leaves near the growing tips show dark, bronze or purplish, circular necrotic spots. Fruits also show circular concentric marks. Tomato spotted wilt virus is the only virus known to be transmitted by thrips."

March 26, 2007	#9
Lee Tomatopalooza™ Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NC-Zone 7 Posts: 2,188	Great information folks! Honu, that description is spot on. (excuse the pun..) Univ of Fla is also another really good source of information about this problem. I don't have the ariticles handy, but I saw a report of some research they did that determined over-fertilization (N mainly) tended to increase the likelihood of infection, perhaps by attracting more of the vectors (thrips).... This is a great post Vince, and I sincerely hope you don't have TSWV! Lee P.S. Anyone think we should take the information here and add it to the TSWV sticky as well? __________________ Intelligence is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put one in a fruit salad. Cuostralee - The best thing on sliced bread.

March 27, 2007	#11
Vince Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Riverside, CA Posts: 942	hONU, The growing tips do not seem to be affected. The plants are not stunted. Craig, I think you are right in that this is just early spotting on the sungolds. The new foliage including the growing tips look fine now. I am pretty sure it is not TSWV! Thanks everyone. Vince __________________ Vince