That planting patience from two weeks ago is now history. Cotton planting is off and running across the entire Cotton Belt – even in parts of the High Plains where some recent rains provided planting moisture. Our contributing cotton consultants say there’s still a ways to go to get the entire crop in the ground, but it’s also not slowing down needed early season thrips treatments and herbicide applications.
Report for mid-May
The Texas High Plains drought is not nearly over, but we have received rain showers over the last couple of weeks allowing for planting moisture. In fact, the moisture has caused many growers to delay getting started here at the end of the third week in May.
In terms of pests, we are finding increasing numbers of thrips. I would caution producers to really pay attention to those young cotton plants as they emerge. If protection from seed treatment or in-furrow treatments do not hold, then be prepared to use foliar treatments.
When we investigate nearby wheat fields, we find grasshoppers, plant bugs, and aphids along with good numbers of various beneficial insects. These pest situations are not a concern of possible things to come, but we need to be aware and stay abreast of how things develop over the next few weeks as the cotton plant develops and becomes more vulnerable.
We must also be vigilant against soil pests. Obviously, this is a field-by-field situation. So, if a field has a history of nematodes, hopefully you have taken measures to limit damage. Also, be on alert to wireworms which have developed the past few years. Stand development is very difficult when wireworms are present and have not been treated at planting.
So, be sure to walk your cotton fields as soon as they emerge and stay with it. *****
Kerry Siders is Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Agent-IPM for Hockley, Cochran, and Lamb Counties.