DISEASE PROGRESS OF TOMATO SPOTTED WILT VIRUS IN SELECTED PEANUT CULTIVARS AND ADVANCED BREEDING LINES

Epidemics of spotted wilt, caused by tomato spotted wilt tospovirus, w ere monitored in field plots of advanced breeding lines of peanut (Ara chis hypogaea) GA T-2846, F 84X9B-1-1-1-b3-B, and F 84X1A-7-2-1-1-b2-B , and in runner-type peanut cultivars Georgia Browne, Southern Runner, and Florunner in one location in 1993 and in three locations in 1994. Across all tests, final incidence of spotted wilt and standardized ar eas under the disease progress curves were lower in the three breeding lines, Georgia Browne, and Southern Runner compared to standard runne r-type cultivar Florunner. With some exceptions, numbers of tobacco th rips (Frankliniella fusca), western flower thrips (F. occidentalis), a nd larvae of Frankliniella spp. were similar for all peanut cultivars and breeding lines. There was no evidence that differences in disease progress among the six entries were due to differences in preference b y thrips or to suitability for thrips reproduction. Results indicate t hat all three advanced breeding lines evaluated in Ulis study represen t potential tools for management of spotted wilt in peanut production areas of the southeastern United States.