Relative Tomato Spotted Wilt Incidence and Field Performance among Peanut Cultivars as Influenced by Different Input Production Practices in Georgia.

Abstract

During 2017-19, 30 replicated yield trials were conducted to determine relative tomato spotted wilt (TSW) incidence and general field performance among 19 runner and virginia market type peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) cultivars.  Four different input production practices were compared across three Georgia locations (Tifton, Plains, and Midville).  Two early-planted (April) field tests were conducted at Tifton and Plains each year.  One early-planted trial involved maximum-input practices of recommended pesticides with irrigation, and the other early-planted field trial did not receive any fungicides, insecticides, or irrigation.  Early-planted maximum-input production practices with irrigation resulted in the highest percentage of mid-season TSW and late-season total disease incidences while also producing the highest pod yields and dollar values.  Two other optimum-planted (May) maximum-input field tests were conducted at Tifton, Plains, and Midville, GA as part of the official statewide variety trials (OVT). These OVT utilized maximum-input production practices of pesticides both with and without irrigation.  In the OVT, midseason TSW incidence showed no difference between irrigated and non-irrigated; however, the end-of-season total disease percentages which were predominantly TSW did show significantly higher disease percentage, produced the highest pod yields and dollar values within the irrigated field tests compared to the non-irrigated tests.  In the overall four tests comparison, disease results showed significantly lower TSW incidence in the early-planted tests without fungicides and insecticides input production practices and no-irrigation; whereas, both optimum planted OVT(s) had the lowest total disease incidence.  Overall average field performance for pod yields and dollar values were significantly highest in the optimum-planted tests with maximum-inputs including irrigation.  Significant differences were also found among the 19 peanut cultivars.  ‘Georgia-06G’, ‘Georgia-12Y’, and ‘Georgia-18RU’ had the lowest relative TSW incidence compared to the other runner-type cultivars.  ‘Georgia-19HP’ had the lowest TSW incidence and total disease incidence among the virginia-type cultivars.  Among the runner cultivars, Georgia-12Y had the lowest total disease incidence at the end of the season.  The highest pod yields were found with Georgia-06G and ‘Georgia-16HO’; whereas, Georgia-18RU and Georgia-06G had the highest dollar values among the runner-type peanut cultivars.  Georgia-19HP had the highest pod yield and dollar value among the virginia-type cultivars.