Tag Archives: Cotton

March Temperatures and Planting

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A lot of cotton acres have already been planted and more are going in by the day. Extension recommendations for cotton planting have been the same for a long time.  Soil temps above 60F for several days and a warm 5-10 day forecast. The other primary factor being considered is soil moisture. Many fields are getting dry in the seed zone and the next rain event looks like it may be next weekend at the earliest. The critical minimum temperature for cotton growth is 60 degrees F.  We… Read More →

Stink Bugs in Field Crops

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The row crops in the Mid-Coast of Texas continues to progress at a normal rate. Cotton field maturity ranges from late squaring to the second week of bloom. Grain sorghum fields are from late bloom to near hard dough. And soybeans are blooming (R2), setting pods (R4) and filling pods (R5). In all of these crops, stink bugs are one of the primary insect pests of concern.  After bloom, cotton fields should be checked for stink bug management by opening 1-inch bolls and checking the inside for evidence… Read More →

Cotton IPM – Matchhead square cotton

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Cotton fields range from 2-3 leaf to 11-12 leaf. Many fields have squares with the older fields at or a little beyond Matchhead square. Fields of squaring cotton should be scouted 1-2 times per week for cotton fleahoppers.  The cotton fleahopper can cause yield losses and delayed maturity by feeding on young squares, causing them to fall off the plant.  Smaller squares are more sensitive to fleahopper feeding. Once a square is 1/4 inch in width, it is thought to be safe from the cotton fleahopper.  Fields are… Read More →

Cotton IPM Update – Cotton Fleahopper

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Cotton fields range from seedling to 9-10 nodes, or pinhead square. With the beginning of the fruiting process we enter into the damage window of the cotton fleahopper. Fleahoppers can cause economic losses by feeding on small squares, or flower buds, causing the fruit to abscise and fall off of the plant. The resulting square loss can delay crop maturity and reduce yields. Treatment should be considered when cotton fleahoppers are present in numbers above 15 per 100 plants. Text below from “Cotton Fleahoppers” The adult fleahopper is… Read More →

Cotton IPM Update – 2-6 leaf cotton

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Cotton Maturity ranges from cotyledon to 6-leaf cotton with squares beginning to be visible. It has been fairly windy over the past few weeks and we need to be able to distinguish between thrips feeding and wind damage. Thrips can be sampled either visually by looking closely at the underside of leaves and the plant terminal, or by beating the plants into a white cup or on a black cloth. Links to two good videos demonstrate scouting thrips and thrips management are at the bottom of this post…. Read More →