Tag Archives: economic threshold
Cotton Update 6-3-2022
We have received varying amounts of rain across the Mid-Coast over the past week. While some fields received over 5 inches, others got less than a 1/2-inch. Cotton fields range from drought stress to fair. Most fields have 12-15 nodes on the plant and are in the first or second week of bloom and plants have 6 to 9 nodes above white flower. Fruit retention is very good with more than 90% fruit set. Plants are mostly shorter than normal. In cotton fields, we are looking for stink bug… Read More →
2022 Cotton Scout School
AgriLife Extension will hold a Cotton Scout School on Thursday, June 2. Time: 8 to 11 am Location: Jackson County Services Building in Edna, TX. Cost: $10 per person 2 TDA IPM CEUs. Let us know if you’ll be able to attend!
Cotton Insect Report
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
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
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 →
