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Texas Agricultural Extension Service The Texas A&M University System Plains Pest Management Newsletter |
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News about Integrated Pest Management in Hale-Swisher Counties. Greg Cronholm, Extension Agent - IPM, 122 East 6th, P.O. Box 680, Plainview, TX., 79073-0680, 806-291-5273 |
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Web Site: http://entowww.tamu.edu |
E-Mail:
g-cronholm@tamu.edu
August 9, 2001 |
Cotton has declined rapidly over the past two weeks due to the very hot conditions and limited water. Scattered light showers have provided very little relief. We still have hopes of some rain over the next few days. Counts of nodes above white flowers have decreased dramatically the last few weeks. Currently most fields are 2 to 3 nodes above white bloom which means these fields have reached "cut-out". A few well irrigated fields still have 5 to 7 nodes above white bloom. First position boll counts have ranged from 3 to 8 per plant, with many fields in the lower range of these counts. In general we have reached "cut-out" much earlier than we would like. In fields that are at cut-out and drought stressed, we have observed shedding of squares and recently bloomed small fruit. Boll weevils have a much harder time becoming established cotton that has reached cut-out and is shedding small fruit and squares. This is also true for the cotton bollworm. Overall punctured square counts have remained low, but some increases ave been reported in eastern Hale Co. We know from past experience that punctured square counts can go from 2 or 3% to 25 or 30% in a very short period of time. If possible it is best to scout fields every 3 or 4 days so that rapidly increasing populations can be detected. If square densities have dropped, then sampling small bolls for weevil damage is best. The reason is that weevils tend to prefer squares; therefore punctured square counts may go very high with punctured bolls remaining low. This could lead one to treat when not needed. We use 15% punctured bolls as a threshold for this point in our growing season. |
This again can be very misleading as we move into late August or early September when the number of bolls susceptible to weevil damage may only be 10% of the bolls on the plant. This is the reason we must be very careful anytime we use economic thresholds that involve percents. Cotton bollworm activity is gradually increasing with egg lays observed this week in the well irrigated cotton (I hesitate to use the term "rank" cotton since even the irrigated cotton is generally not consistently rank). Square damage from bollworms has been observed, but in general larval counts have remained low. One private consultant reported several fields (Thurs. Aug. 9) with a combination of eggs and small larvae estimated to be around 30,000 per acre. This cotton was late planted, well irrigated and with many squares on which the young bollworm larvae could establish. Bollworm predators remain high with crab spiders, minute pirate bugs, nabids and big-eyed bugs being the most common. So far, in most cases they have been able to maintain the current bollworm infestations. We expect an increase in emergence of bollworm adults from corn early next week, which may create problems locally. Whiteflies have been stabilizing in some fields and increased in others. The adults have been mainly in the terminal area of the plant. They seem to be concentrated on the 4th or 5th main stem leaf from the top of the plant. Counts have ranged up to 50 adults per leaf on some individual plants. Nymph counts have generally ranged from 0 to 35 per terminal leaf inspected. |
Cotton|
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CORN Corn is maturing
rapidly with our above normal temperatures. Most fields have now reached
100% dent. Moisture line in kernels range from 10 to 100% down. Most
fields are 1/4th to 1/3rd down. Southwestern corn borer trap collections have declined in all but one trap, which had 1,213 moths for a three day period on August 6. We continue to find larvae ranging from 2nd to 5th instar stage in non Bt corn.
On Saturday, August 18 a Texas Country Cleanup waste Pesticide Collection will be held at the Ollie Liner Center in Plainview from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00p.m. Both homeowner pesticides and agricultural pesticides will be collected. Also lab waste from local school districts will be accepted. The collections are open to all Texans free of charge. This Texas County Cleanup will also be accepting rinsed pesticide containers, used motor oil, oil filters, lead acid batteries and household hazardous waste such as aerosol paint cans. They will also exchange non-mercury thermometers for old mercury thermometers. Mercury is a common environmental contaminate. They will not
accept tires this time or herbicides containing 2,4,5 - T (Silvex).
This cleanup program is sponsored by the Texas Natural Resource and
Conservation Commission, Texas Cooperative Extension Service, Texas
Department of Agriculture, Lower Colorado River and U.S. Ag recycling.
The City of Plainview is also a co-sponsor. For further information
contact Chris Bishop, CEA-Ag for Dirk Aaron, CEA-Ag at 806/201-5272 |
SORGHUM
& MILLET
Greg Cronholm,
Extension Agent - IPM,  Posted at this web site by: texagnet Internet Services. |
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