A. K. Culbreath, J. W. Todd, S. L. Brown, H. R. Pappu, J. A. Baldwin, J. P. Beasley, D. W. Gorbet, and Bob Kemerait S.W.E.A.T. is an unofficial cooperative and collaborative group of scientists representing multiple disciplines, departments and areas of expertise. The common goal is simply to solve the problem of spotted wilt in peanut. The disease is common across the peanut growing areas of Georgia, Florida, and Alabama and has become THE most important problem for many peanut growers.
Spotted wilt is a very humbling disease.
There are lots of questions about spotted wilt for which no answers currently are available. There is no one control measure, no silver bullet, that will solve the spotted wilt problem. These factors are listed roughly in order of their importance. There are still huge differences in spotted wilt severity from one area to another, although those areas without spotted wilt problems have been shrinking dramatically. Cultivar choice has been the most consistent way to suppress spotted wilt epidemics.