CURRENT CROP CONDITIONS
The area cotton crop is continuing on schedule with program fields ranging from six to 14 true leaves and over 10 first position squares per plant. Square sets are still ranging from less than 80% to 100%. Row irrigated fields that have not been irrigated have stopped adding nodes and fruit. Dry land fields have stopped growing and very few of these fields have begun to square. 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
The scouts are finding fleahoppers ranging from 2 to over 40 per 100 terminals. Fleahopper infestations at this time are wide spread with economic infestations occurring more frequently. Most of the fleahoppers being found are nymphs with very few adults 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 a few of these infestations have moved from the terminals to the undersides of the leaves with a noticeable presence of honey dew. With these heavier aphid infestations we are finding large number of ladybug adults and larvae and I believe they will eliminate these populations. The average number of Boll weevils per trap crashed dramatically this week with only one boll weevil being trapped around program fields since the last report. Bollworm eggs are still being found in most program fields and are ranging from 1000 to12000 per acre with very few larvae being found. Very few beet armyworm egg masses have been found since the last report, but egg masses and larvae are being found this week in the northern counties of the High Plains.

COTTON FLEAHOPPERS STILL INFESTING AREA FIELDS

Fleahopper infestations are a common occurrence in area program fields. As mentioned earlier, these infestations are ranging from low to high. Most of the infestations are what I would call a chronic infestation where the populations continually stay below threshold at 8 to 10 per 100 terminals over a two week period. These infestations are made up of mostly nymphs with very few adults being found. I believe the heavy populations of crab spiders are responsible for keeping most of these populations below threshold. However, these chronic infestations are taking a toll on the area square set. We have fields in the fourth week of squaring with less than a 60% square set. To add fuel to the fire, we are finding a substantial number of early planted fields with respectable numbers of bollworm eggs per acre. Under these circumstances I am recommending 2-3 oz. of Orthene® 90S or 8.5 oz. of Vydate® 3.77 C-LV for control and to protect beneficial insects. In my opinion, producers who elect not to treat for fleahoppers in order to save beneficials to prevent a bollworm outbreak are making a big mistake. In many of these fields, the fleahoppers are blasting enough squares to starve out a significant bollworm population.

NEED TO KEEP A CLOSE WATCH ON BEET ARMYWORMS

Well, the time is upon us for the second generation egg lay of beet armyworms, and although we are not picking up any egg masses this week, the reports from up North do not sound good. Bottom line, an outbreak of beet armyworm at our current growth stage would be devastating.

Producers need to be on the lookout for the egg masses that are laid on both sides of the leaves and are covered with a whitish velvety material. In addition, be on the lookout for plants that have most of the leaves skeletonized. Remember, the spray threshold is 20,000 small larvae per acre and at least 10% of randomly selected plants are infested.