Tag Archives: Cotton Aphids

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 – Early Season Thrips

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Cotton maturity ranges from germinating to 2 leaf. Cotton planted in the last week has been emerging in  5-6 days. This quick emergence is due to warm temperatures and adequate soil moisture. Emergence to first square can take 27 to 38 days. We usually see the first squares 28-30 days after emergence. Thus, cotton planted March 27, emerged April 1-2 and should have the first squares by the first of May. The primary insect of concern is Thrips. Thrips are slender, straw-colored insects about 1/15 inch long, with… Read More →

Cotton Insect Report

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Cotton plant maturity ranges from 9-14 true leaves. We began seeing blooms in a few fields. The fields with blooms had 6-7 nodes above white flower, which shows the effect of drought stress. The water demand of a crop increases significantly as bloom nears and fruit production begins. If we do not get rainfall soon, expect to see wilting cotton fields in the afternoons. Fortunately, we have not seen insect pressure requiring insecticide applications. Cotton fleahoppers have been difficult to find in most fields. Few fields have more… Read More →

Squaring Cotton and Drought

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Most cotton fields are squaring so the cotton fleahopper is the primary pest of interest in these fields. I use an economic threshold of 15 cotton fleahoppers per 100 plants. Adults and nymphs count the same. The cotton fleahopper will feed on the soft plant parts in the terminal of the plant. They cause injury when they feed on small squares causing the square to be “blasted” and then abscise, or fall off the plant. Once a square is larger than a pin head, it is considered safe… Read More →

Seedling Cotton Pests

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Cotton ranges from emerging to 3-4 leaf plants. Weather forecasts are not optimistic for rainfall so treating for insect pests of seedling cotton is not likely profitable. The pests we can expect to find on young cotton includes thrips, aphids, and mites. I have not seen fields with insect populations requiring management. Seed treatments are typically good for 3 weeks following planting and most fields are were planted more than three weeks ago. The water needs for the plants are not very high right now so the primary… Read More →