In general, insect pests are more active this last couple of weeks than I have seen in some years. I can find both mature and immature cotton fleahoppers in and around most cotton fields especially when silverleaf nightshade ( aka whiteweed) is present. In terms of their impact on the cotton it is all over the board and simply a field-by-field situation. EACH FIELD MUST BE SCOUTED! I think we are fortunate to still have 80% square retention in most fields. But trust me there are fields with much lower square set which could most likely be because of fleahopper damage. I can find lygus in field margins being held by weed species. I am getting reports from a few consultants that they are starting to see them move into adjacent cotton fields. SCOUT! I am seeing more consistent cotton aphid presence as well. I can see winged forms which indicate they have just moved in and while others have been here for a while. Currently I am not averaging more than 5 per leaf in fields that I check. SCOUT! The past several years I’ve not seen them this consistent across this many acres. Stay tuned and SCOUT! Hopefully beneficials will assist in keeping these in check. Grasshoppers have been found along a few field margins particularly near grasslands. Not seeing much in the sorghum pests yet other than whorl feeding. Corn leafhopper is here, and you must decide if you should treat. Hear Dr. Kerns’ latest update on the next page. Weeds are an issue in all crops. Keep chipping away, just be mindful of the law and respect for neighbors.
COTTON CROP GROWTH SITUATION
Cotton growth and development update based on irrigated IPM Scouting Program fields looks like this:
• 9.5” height (range 4.25”- 12.0”)
• 11.8 total nodes (range 6.0 – 15.0)
• 0.8” per internode length whole plant (range 0.5”- 1.0”)
• 1.7” per internode length 4th node from top
• 1st fruiting branch at node 6.3 (range 5 – 8)
• 5.8 first position squares (range 0 – 9 very near bloom)
• 85% square retention (range 66%-98%)
• Anticipate going into bloom with 8.5 nodes above white flower (NAWF)