Aluminum-Surfaced Mulch: An Approach to the Control of Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus in Solanaceous Crops

Abstract

The effect of plastic film mulches on thrips immigration and tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) incidence in tomato, pepper, and tobacco fields was studied. Three treatments (aluminum-surfaced plastic mulch, black plasticmulch, and a nonmulched control) were arranged in a randomized complete block design in each of three separate crop fields. Thrips immigration into treatment plots was estimated with the use of yellow sticky board traps. Compared with the nonmulched treatment, aluminum-surfaced mulch reduced the numbers of trapped thrips by 68% and the incidence of TSWV by 64% in tomato. In bell pepper, thrips numbers and TSWV incidence were reduced by 60% and 78%, respectively. At a second location, the number of thrips trapped was reduced 33% by the aluminum-surfaced mulch and TSWV incidence was reduced by 60% in a combined planting of tomato, pepper, and tobacco in each treatment plot. Several thrips species were identified from traps, including two known TSWV vectors, Trips tabaci and Frankliniella fusca.