Partners with Nature Pest and Crop Situation
Cotton continues to make good progress during this warm streak. Most cotton fields have bloomed out the top/bolled to the top. Un fortunately, most of this late set bolls will be shed over the next few days.
Many fields are going through this major adjustment in fruit load by shedding squares and small bolls less than a week old. So, if you peel back the cotton plant and look on the ground right now, don’t panic, that is natural shed. As I have discussed in prior issues, I would target the next week or so to start shutting water off. I would be hard pressed to recommend irrigating after September 15th. I hate to use calendar dates early in season because we must provide the plant what it needs, when it needs it. However, here at the end we only have so many days, day length, sunshine, and heat units left to accumulate. So, all that equates to forcing the plant to mature out soon and not way late. Everyday from here out we should be seeing more cracked and open bolls. We will discuss harvest aid tim ing here next week.
We are not finding much of any insect pest activity. If Lygus are presentthey are most likely damaging younger fruit which will not contribute to yield and are not worth protecting.
Grain sorghum that is still flowering to soft dough needs to be watched carefully for sugarcane aphids, headworms, Lygus, stinkbugs, and midge. Insect pests are as variable as the sorghum is in growth stage. Call if you need help.