These results will be used to make recommendations to peanut growers for specific production and pest management circumstances. Plant Pathology Sclerotinia blight of peanut caused by Sclerotinia minor has been a problem in Virginia since the early 1970 s. The disease has spread southward into North Carolina from Virginia into all major peanut-producing countries in North Carolina. Chemical control of this disease is most effective when applied prior to disease onset. Timing is critical when using these products as applications made too soon degrade prior to disease onset, and those made too late allow epidemic onset.
Sclerotinia advisories are weather-based warnings of disease onset.
When used in combination with field histories, these represent the most modern and effective way to minimize the unnecessary use of fungicides, while improving spray timing. Currently growers can receive these advisories by calling the county extension office. County agents struggle with keeping the information flowing from the weather-monitoring sites in the field as person to person contact must be made each day to transfer the advisory information to the county office. A program has been developed that would link the weather stations together into a network making it easier to collect and share this information within and between counties. This proposal seeks to put this modern method of data collection and dissemination in place to make better use of this information.