Cotton maturity ranges from 2-3 leaf to 13-15 nodes on the plant.  Maturity is not being determined by square size right now because fruit retention is very poor in much of the older cotton.  We are seeing between 40 and 70% square set in cotton fields.

The primary reason for fruit loss this year is not insect pests.  Usually we think of cotton fleahoppers as the primary factor causing fruit loss but their populations have been relatively low.  Most fields have less than 5 cotton fleahoppers per 100 plants and the economic threshold is 15 fleahoppers / 100 plants.

Cotton aphids are being found in cotton fields.  I have received reports of aphids at treatable levels to the south.