Temperatures have warmed up and area crops have certainly responded. Grain Sorghum has grown a foot this week and wheat harvest has begun. Early wheat yields look promising. Some producers have reported yields of 40-45 bushels per acre. Cotton planting has begun in many areas and moisture conditions are good right now.

Growers should monitor their spring crops closely for a number of pests. Last year it was too dry to grow a crop and no pests were present. This year's growing conditions are good and every pest known to man is coming out of the wood work. It's liable to be an interesting year.

Thrips could certainly cause damage to seedling cotton at this time so producers planting cotton now or already have some up should monitor closely for thrips damage. Producers planting cotton adjacent to pastures or rangelands should watch closely for jumbo grasshoppers. I have been in several areas this week where immature jumbo grasshoppers were plentiful.

Thrips are moving out of small grains and weed hosts in droves. If planting the next couple of weeks, cotton producers are encouraged to consider seed treatments, planter box treatments or an at-planting soil applied insecticide for thrips control.

Thrips are slender, straw-colored insects about 1/15 inch long, with piercing and sucking mouth parts. Thrips attack leaves, leaf buds and very small squares and may cause a silvering of the lower leaf surface, deformed or blackened leaves, terminal loss and square loss. Heavy infestations may reduce stands, stunt plants and delay fruiting and maturity.

In areas with a history of frequent, heavy thrips infestations, the use of systemic insecticides should be seriously considered. Research has shown that the application of foliar sprays, after significant thrips damage has occurred, generally does not result in increased yields. Thrips can migrate in heavy numbers from adjacent weeds or crops, especially small grains, and cause significant damage within a few days and prior to the appearance of true leaves. Early infestations often reduce yields more than the later infestations.

Control may be justified when the average number of thrips counted per plant is equal to the number of true leaves present at the time of inspection. One thrips per plant should be used as the treatment level from plant emergence through the cotyledon stage, to the first true leaf.

Inspections should begin once cotton has reached approximately 50 percent stand emergence. Insecticidal control is rarely justified once plants reach the 5-to-7-true-leaf stage, or when plants begin to square.

Jumbo grasshopper nymphs could easily be found in area pastures and these critters can cause significant damage to cotton especially when its small. I have seen jumbo grasshoppers walk through a sorghum field to get to cotton. They really prefer cotton. So be alert.

The lubber (Jumbo) grasshopper is a large, brown, clumsy grasshopper without fully developed wings. It cannot fly but its hind legs are greatly enlarged and it is a strong hopper. It can be extremely damaging to seedling cotton. Large numbers are capable of completely destroying stands, especially around field margins. Although no economic threshold has been established for this species, field observations have indicated that populations of one per three row feet in the field or two per square yard in vegetation around the field may be capable of causing economic damage.

2

The Tom Green/Runnels County Pest Management Committee is sponsoring a scout school June 4 and 5. This is the only scout school in the state that provides both an intensive classroom and real field experience in a two-day session. The program will allow the experienced to become familiar again with scouting cotton and associated pests and economic thresholds. For first timers, the school provides an opportunity to learn about cotton insects in the field before the season gets too busy.

Cost for scout school for private industry is $50.00 for the first intern and $10.00 for each additional intern. For producers attending, the cost will be $10.00. The fee will cover sponsorship of the program plus publication costs of the education material.

The educational material will include information on cotton physiology, cotton varieties, cotton diseases and cotton insects. In addition, the material will include color photos of insect pests as well as color photos of the natural enemies present in cotton. Scout School will be at the Texas Agricultural Extension Service in San Angelo. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. CEU credits will be given at that time. Be thinking of joining us there. Preregistration information will be sent to you soon.

May 24, 2001

Runnels County Wheat Tour

Place: The tour will be held about one mile south of Winters on Hwy. 83 at the Bredemeyer farm.

Time: 10:00 a.m. in Winters.

Pre-registration: Interested participants are encouraged to call the Runnels County Extension Office by Wednesday, May 23 at 915-365-2219.

The Runnels County Crops Committee will sponsor this year's Wheat Tour. Participants will tour a variety test plot of several wheat varieties planted last fall. Billy Warrick, Extension Agronomist, and Dr. Chris Sansone, Extension Entomologist, will be the speakers for the tour and will discuss the varieties and pest management outlook. A complimentary noon meal will be served after the tour at the Bredemeyer farm west of Winters on Hwy. 153.

June 4, 2001

Scout School

Place: Texas Agricultural Extension Service-District Office 7887 U.S. Hwy. 87 North

Information: See "Scout School June 4, 2001" at the beginning of this page.

June 6, 2001

Progressive Farmer Farm Safety Day Camp

Place: ASU-MIR Center Hwy. 87 N, San Angelo Tx

Time: 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

A fun-filled day of learning for 3rd graders and up who are associated with farming. Fees of $10.00 per child, $20.00 per family, include the cost of lunch, snacks, speakers, a T-shirt and a packet of safety materials.

Classes Include:
* Weather
* Fire Arm Safety
* Tractor & Equipment Safety
* Fire Extinguisher
* SunSense & First Aid
* Chemical Safety
* Tobacco Prevention

Pre-registration: By May 30, 2001 (Please call 365-5042 for an application)

Sponsors for 2001:
Pioneer Brand Products
Shared Solutions-The Philip Morris Family of Companies
Farm Plan-The Charge Account for Rural America
AGCO
Cargill
Case III-A Tradition of Leadership
rooster.com
Shell
ASGROW
Du Pont-DuPont Crop Protection

All programs and information of the Texas Agricultural Extension Service are available to everyone without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin. We will seek to provide reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilities for this meeting. We request that you contact Patricia Hohensee (915/365-5042) as soon as possible to advise us of the auxiliary aid or service that you will require.

Educational programs conducted by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, handicap or national origin. The information given herein is for educational purposes only. References to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Cooperative Extension Service is implied.