Integrating plant essential oils and kaolin for the sustainable management of thrips and tomato spotted wilt on tomato

Integrating plant essential oils and kaolin for the sustainable management of thrips and tomato spotted wilt on tomato

Summary

The purpose of this project is to develop environmentally compatible approaches for management of thrips and tomato spotted wilt of tomatoes. We conducted the initial field trials, and presented the research to the public at a field day, a commodity group meeting and at two scientific meetings. The first laboratory experiments planned under objective 2 were conducted.

Objectives/Performance Targets

1. Compare efficacy of the plant essential oils geraniol, lemongrass oil and tea tree oil, and kaolin to standard insecticides in controlling thrips and tomato spotted wilt in tomatoes.

2. Optimize use of kaolin and essential oils by determining how they affect thrips and their ability to transmit Tomato spotted wilt virus.

3. Refine use of plant essential oils and kaolin in the field based on mechanisms determined in laboratory studies of Objective 2.

4. To determine, through Cost Benefit Analysis of each field trial, the management strategies that yields the greatest financial return to the grower.

5. Demonstrate and disseminate findings to growers, commodity groups, IPM providers, and the agrochemical industry as a means to generate greater interest in developing plant essential oils as commercial products and provide baseline data on the efficacy of plant essential oils and kaolin to control thrips and tomato spotted wilt.

Accomplishments/Milestones

1. The effectiveness of lemon grass oil and tea tree oil in combination with kaolin were evaluated in field trials against tomato spotted wilt and thrips in tomato. Tea tree oil and lemon grass oil combined with kaolin were as effective as current standard insecticides in controlling tomato spotted wilt, and significantly reduced tomato spotted wilt when compared with the untreated control.

2. In laboratory studies, several essential oils and essential oil components were screened for their repellency and toxicity to western flower thrips adults. The essential oils of lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus), palmarosa (Cymbopogon martinii) and tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia), and the monoterpenoid geraniol were highly repellent to western flower thrips, when applied to tomato flowers at 100 ppm and 200 ppm. Although not highly toxic, these plant essential oils and geraniol could prove useful as repellents for western flower thrips.

5. We have presented this research at general public and scientific meetings, including the annual North Florida Horticultural Field Day, the Gadsden County Tomato Forum, Florida Phytopathological Society Meeting, and the American Phytopathological Society Meeting.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Integrated use of lemon grass oil and tea tree oil in combination with kaolin provided as effective control as standard insecticides for thrips-vectored tomato spotted wilt. The use of these essential oils and kaolin appears to be a promising tactic for further development for the management of tomato spotted wilt.

Collaborators: