Conservation tillage and thimet effects on tomato spotted wilt virus in three peanut cultivars

The study was conducted in 1999 at Quincy and Marianna, Fl; in order to eva luate the influence of ship-tillage and conventional tillage and Thimet (0, 0-diethyl S-[(ethylthio) methyl] phosphorodithioate) application on Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV) control and yield of three peanut (Arachis hypoga ea L.) cultivars:'Georgia Green' and 'MDR 98', which are somewhat resistant to TSWV, and 'SunOleic 97R', which is a susceptible check. Georgia Green d eveloped less TSWV incidence and severity compared with SunOleic 97R. There was no significant difference between conventional and strip tillage for t he incidence and severity of TSWV at Quincy, but TSWV severity was lower fo r strip compared with conventional tillage. Thimet, significantly reduced T SWV incidence and severity at Marianna, but not at Quincy. At both location s, peanut yields were higher from conventional compared with strip tillage, Compared with other cultivars, Georgia Green had significantly higher yiel ds at both at Quincy and Marianna. Thimet did not significantly increase pe anut yields at either location. The resistance of Georgia Green to TSWV was an important factor in decreasing effects of TSWV, Thimet can be a positiv e addition to a management program in reducing TSWV incidence and severity, but may not significantly increase yield.