Early Season Thrips Management (Abney):

Getting ready to plant peanuts should also mean getting ready to manage thrips and Tomato Spotted Wilt (TSWV). Three of the most important and easy to adjust thrips/TSWV management tactics are choosing the right cultivar, considering planting date, and deciding on an at-plant insecticide. Most will plant GA-06G in 2020, but those who do not need to be certain that the cultivar they choose has good resistance to TSWV. The warm spring we are experiencing will almost certainly result in more peanuts being planted early. Any peanuts planted before May 10 are at increased risk of thrips injury and TSWV infection. Planting some of the crop after May 10 will help hedge against the risk of losses to TSWV. There are only a few options for controlling thrips with insecticides, and nothing much has changed in the last few years. Growers can use phorate (Thimet), imidacloprid (Admire Pro and others), or aldicarb (Ag-Logic) in the furrow at planting. Phorate is the only insecticide that has been proven to reduce the risk of TSWV infection in peanut. The convenience and ease of applying liquid imidacloprid has driven an increase in the popularity of this active ingredient in some parts of the state. Those who are planting early (before May 10) need to know that imidacloprid in furrow will not reduce the risk of TSWV. Those who choose not to use insecticide at planting need to scout for thrips as soon as plants begin to
emerge. Acephate (Orthene) applications should be applied before heavy thrips injury occurs. In the final run up to what promises to be a wide-open planting season, making sure all application equipment is properly calibrated can save money and help ensure optimal performance of pest control products.