CURRENT CROP CONDITIONS

The area cotton crop is continuing on schedule despite the rough start that some fields endured. Program fields are ranging from cotyledon to four true leaves (replant) to over 8 squares per plant. Square sets are ranging from less than 80% to 100%. Current insect pressure is light with very few thrips, fleahoppers and lygus bugs being found. The heavy winds on Saturday and especially Saturday night seem to have cleaned the fields of pests and beneficials.

WHAT THE SCOUTS ARE FINDING

The scouts are finding fleahoppers ranging from 0 to over 1 per 100 terminals. Most of these slight infestations are occurring on field margins next CRP and pasture. Lygus bugs can be found in very low populations in most program fields. Cotton aphids can be found in the terminal area of plants in most fields, but the percent plants infested are very low. Bollworm adults being found in most program fields but eggs and small larvae are not being found.

COTTON FLEAHOPPER MONITORING AND CONTROL STRATEGIES

Scouting for this pest can be difficult at best. The adults will fly readily when disturbed so care must be taken when approaching the plants. Do not cast a shadow on the plant and gently handle the plant while inspecting for this pest. The immatures are fairly easy to spot in the terminal if you have excellent to good eyesight. The adults are about 1/8" in length and are pale green in color and the immatures resemble the adults but are minute and somewhat clear until they begin to feed.

During the first week of squaring, the economic threshold is 25 to 30 cotton fleahoppers per 100 terminals combined with less than 90 percent square set. In the second week of squaring, the economic threshold is 25 to 30 cotton fleahoppers per 100 terminals combined with less than 85 percent square set. Starting with the third week of squaring up to first bloom, the economic threshold is 25 to 30 cotton fleahoppers per 100 terminals combined with less than 75 percent square set.

I think it would be pertinent for me to include a little sage advice when using these thresholds. First and foremost, these thresholds are just a starting point and are not set in stone. For example, if you are sitting at 95% square set and you have a rapidly increasing number of fleahoppers ,say, a total of 40 adult fleahoppers per 100 terminals that appeared "over night" in your field, then I would be inclined to treat.

If you elect not to treat, then you need to be scouting that field every two to three days keeping a close watch on your square set. If you are scouting every seven days and elect not to treat then your square set can easily drop to less than 60%.

Chronic infestations of fleahoppers can be a headache as well. Do not sit back and let your square set drop below 70% just because your population did not reach 20-30 per 100 terminals. If you consistently have 10 to 15 fleahoppers per 100 terminals with the presence of blasted squares for a period of two weeks then at sometime you have to treat the field and do so before you get below 70% square set.

Another little problem that needs to be brought to light is the problem of stretching your water too thin. Be honest with your ability to irrigate your crop. Why keep your square set above 75% if you are going to lose this fruit by not irrigating?