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These viruses are commonly found as a mixed infection in squash (\n                      <jats:italic>Cucurbita pepo<\/jats:italic>\n                      ) plants; hence, they are collectively termed as the \u2018whitefly\u2010transmitted virus complex\u2019 (WTVC) in this manuscript. While some tactics for managing WTVC are available, the relative impact of each management tactic in reducing disease severity is not known. This study aimed to quantify the relative importance of key management practices and develop a data\u2010driven risk assessment framework to support integrated pest management (IPM) decisions.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>RESULTS<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Utilizing data from 14 field trials (\n                      <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u200914) conducted over 3\u2009years (2020\u20132022) in southern Georgia, United States, a random forest model was applied to evaluate the influence of five management variables on WTVC severity. Planting date and use of row cover were identified as the most influential factors, followed by squash type, planting material, and mulch type. A risk assessment index was developed based on variable importance scores. The cumulative risk\u2010point values showed significant positive correlations with standardized area under the disease progress curve (sAUDPC) in both training (\n                      <jats:italic>r<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.58,\n                      <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009&lt;\u20090.001) and testing (\n                      <jats:italic>r<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.50,\n                      <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009&lt;\u20090.001) datasets. Early planting, particularly yellow squash, the use of seedlings and the row covers were associated with reduced WTVC severity.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Planting squash before the seasonal peak in whitefly populations, using row covers, and seedlings were associated with the lower WTVC risk. In our study, the resulting risk index and SquashRx application provided pre\u2010season decision support for fall squash production in southern Georgia. As the index was developed and validated using data from this region, it should be validated before use elsewhere. \u00a9 2026 The Author(s).\n                      <jats:italic>Pest Management Science<\/jats:italic>\n                      published by John Wiley &amp; Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1002\/ps.71226","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,26]],"date-time":"2026-08-26T05:14:13Z","timestamp":1787721253000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Development and deployment of a risk assessment index as a decision\u2010support tool for managing whitefly\u2010transmitted viruses affecting squash"],"prefix":"10.1002","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-3169-834X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Clarence B","family":"Codod","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Plant Pathology The University of Georgia  Tifton GA USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7486-5061","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anoop A","family":"Malik","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Plant Pathology The University of Georgia  Tifton GA USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"suffix":"Jr.","given":"Alton N","family":"Sparks","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Entomology The University of Georgia  Tifton GA USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4474-6715","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andre Luiz Biscaia Ribeiro","family":"da Silva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Horticulture Auburn University  Auburn AL USA"},{"name":"Department of Horticulture The University of Georgia  Tifton GA USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Paul M","family":"Severns","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Plant Pathology The University of Georgia  Athens GA USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Joara","family":"Candian","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Horticulture The University of Georgia  Tifton GA USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4215-8549","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rajagopalbabu","family":"Srinivasan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Entomology The University of Georgia  Griffin GA USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ty","family":"Torrance","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"UGA Cooperative Extension, Southwest District  Tifton GA USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"suffix":"Jr.","given":"Robert C","family":"Kemerait","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Plant Pathology The University of Georgia  Tifton GA USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9841-257X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Bhabesh","family":"Dutta","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Plant Pathology The University of Georgia  Tifton GA USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_8_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2083","DOI":"10.1093\/jee\/97.6.2083","article-title":"Impact of Bemisia argentifolii (Homoptera: Auchenorrhynca: Aleyrodidae) infestation and squash silverleaf disorder on zucchini yield and quality","volume":"97","author":"Chen J","year":"2004","journal-title":"J Econ Entomol"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-phyto-072910-095235"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9","DOI":"10.1094\/PHP-03-17-0016-BR","article-title":"First report of cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus in cucurbits in Georgia, United States","volume":"19","author":"Gadhave KR","year":"2018","journal-title":"Plant Health Prog"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/v13060988"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_6_1","unstructured":"SrinivasanR DuttaB CoolongTandSparksA Managing whiteflies and whitefly\u2010transmitted viruses in important vegetable crops in Georgia. 2020 Vegetable Extension and Research Report. 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