Tag Archives: economic threshold

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 →

IPM Update – Stink Bugs in Grain Sorghum

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Grain Sorghum in the Mid Coast of Texas is blooming and some fields are just past bloom in the Milk stage.  Sorghum should be scouted every day or so during bloom to detect economic populations of sorghum midge.  During bloom, the primary insect pest is sorghum midge.  The economic threshold of sorghum midge is 1 midge per 3-5 plants. Another important insect pest of sorghum is stink bugs.  We have been finding stink bugs in sorghum fields but most are still below the treatment threshold. The most critical… Read More →

IPM Update – Cotton Growth and Fleahoppers

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Cotton maturity ranges from 5-6 leaf to third-grown square.  Continue to scout for cotton fleahoppers, I have fields with more than 40 per 100 plants.  The Economic Threshold is 15 per 100 plants so these field should be treated to prevent square loss.  Some fields or parts of fields are yellowing due to excessive soil moisture making nitrogen less available.  This should be corrected once the soil dries if the field was properly fertilized. I have had several conversations about the temperatures we have had so far this… 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 – 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 →