CURRENT CROP CONDITIONS

The area cotton crop is continuing on schedule with program fields ranging from four to 12 true leaves and over 9 first position squares per plant. Square sets are still ranging from 80% to 100%. Row irrigated fields that have started their irrigation are in excellent shape compared to this time last year, however, row irrigated fields that have not been irrigated up to this point in time have stopped adding nodes and fruit. Pivot irrigated and drip irrigated fields are in excellent shape. Dry land fields are starting to slow down with an average of three squares per plant. Deep moisture is still present in the profile but the dry land cotton plants will need a lot of help from mother nature in the way of precipitation in the next seven days in order for the top profile to have adequate moisture for continued growth and development.

WHAT THE SCOUTS ARE FINDING

We are finding very little to write about in the way of pest pressure. The scouts are finding fleahoppers ranging from 0 to 2 per 100 terminals. Fleahopper infestations at this time are wide spread with the heaviest infestations occurring near the city of Lubbock. We came close to an economic infestation of fleahoppers late last week, but boll weevil eradication put a quick end to the problem. Most of the fleahoppers being found are adults with very few nymphs making up the population.

Lygus bugs are still being found in very low populations in most program fields. Cotton aphids are still being found in the terminal area of plants in most program fields. Along with these heavier aphid infestations we are finding large numbers of ladybug adults and larvae feeding within the terminal.

COTTON SQUARE SETS DROP THIS WEEK WITH A NOTICEABLE LACK OF PESTS

Square sets dropped this week in program fields with nothing more than the weather to blame. In some instances, I believe fertility and water could be the culprit, but producers in this situation realize that they have put neither on their fields. On the high management fields, I would have to say the weather has played a vital role in cutting the square sets in out early planted fields down to 80%. The constant hot winds that blew last week was hard on me and my employees as well as the area cotton. I would not let this drop in square set bother me that much in the early planted cotton, because we still have time and heat units for this crop to compensate. Most of the program fields were being irrigated this week and combined with the moderate weather this should put a stop to the decline in square sets.

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