- Author: Neil McRoberts
The temperature has started climbing over the last week and the next seven days will see figures in the mid to high 80's F. This is the ideal range for thrips development so we can expect the current (second) generation to develop right on schedule. Peak egg hatch was projected to occur on or around April 17th and adults from that hatch will reach peak numbers around April 28th, about 10 days earlier than further north in the Sacramento Valley and delta. However since these thrips are the first generation which will have had a chance to grow on tomato as juveniles this year, with very low levels of virus around, there is only a small risk of any immediate spread of TSWV. Depending on how much TSWV we see in crops over the next few weeks we'll be able to give an indication of which generation should be targeted for any insecticides that are planned this year. Watch this space.