This week's sample of the week was TSWV (Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus) on greenhouse tomato plants. We received two tomato plants with black, necrotic spots on the foliage, a symptom associated with TSWV. An ELISA immunostrip test confirmed this diagnosis. We were a little surprised to see TSWV so early in the greenhouse. Early infections usually have the most severe impact on yield because they prevent flowering and fruit set. The virus is spread by thrips and thrips populations in a greenhouse should be eliminated to prevent further spreading of the virus. Infected plants will not recover and should be removed and destroyed.
TSWV Symptoms (Photo: Mike Munster)
For more information on TSWV, check out our earlier blog posting here.
