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P.O. Box 318 |
Hillsboro,
TX 76645
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May 30, 2002 Vol. VIII No. 5 |
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GENERAL SITUATION The area received a much needed rainfall. Rainfall totals starting the week of May 26 will range from 8/10 to 5 inches. Majority if not most of the area has received 2 or more inches. Most of the corn is tasseling. Grain sorghum will range from 12 inches to yellow bloom stage. Most of the milo is in the boot stage and starting to head. Cotton will range from 5 true leaves to 1/3 grown square. Most of the cotton will range from pinhead to match-head square. CORN and GRAIN SORGHUM Grasshoppers continue to move into the edges of corn and grain sorghum from pastures and other grassy areas. ****************************************** |
Greenbugs will range from light to heavy in numbers. Greenbugs in the majority of area fields have declined in numbers. Beneficial insects that were feeding on corn leaf aphids earlier in the season have moved down on the stalk and reduced greenbug numbers. Most fields that I have looked at have drastically lower greenbug levels. There are some fields where greenbugs are still a problem. Producers should monitor their milo for greenbugs. The economic threshold is from boot to heading, the death of one functional leaf (large leaf) on 20% of the plants and heading to hard dough when greenbug numbers are sufficient to cause the death of 2 normal size leaves on 20% of the plants. Yellow sugarcane aphids are light and have been reduced in numbers in most fields. COTTON The cotton throughout the area looks more ragged than usual due to thrips and weathering. Wet conditions and early season insecticide treatments should cause a dramatic increase in growth over the next couple weeks. |
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In general, the cotton is trying to put on an adequate number of squares. The main concern at this point is the high number of fleahoppers and controlling this pest for the next 10 days or so. Thrips numbers range from moderate to heavy. Most of the cotton is close to being past thrips. Spraying for fleahoppers will also reduce thrips numbers. Cotton aphids are being seen in light numbers with a slight increase. Grasshoppers continue to move into some area cotton fields. Producers should monitor cotton next to grassy areas and limit stand loss. Fleahopper numbers will range from 4-80 per 100 terminals. Most fields will range from 20-60 per 100 terminals. Producers will need to apply 2 insecticide applications for fleahoppers and/or OW weevils. The applications should be applied 5-7 days apart. I have concerns about the high number of fleahoppers and how well the cotton will set. Producers should plan on completing their insecticide applications for fleahoppers and OW weevils by June 6, if possible, and start to build up beneficial insects. Overwintered boll weevil applications have begun to go out. I would like to urge all producers to apply one to two insecticide applications for this pest. Bollworm eggs and larvae are being seen in very light numbers (one percent or less). Spider mites are in light numbers in a few area fields. The rain and wind have reduced numbers drastically. Beet armyworm larvae are being seen in very light numbers. Moth traps are light to moderate. BEET ARMYWORM TRAP COUNT
(The
cumulative average of two traps/week. Trap locations are in the Chatt
and Vaughan area.) |
Overwintered boll weevil trap counts are in very light numbers. OVERWINTERING
BOLL WEEVIL
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