Cotton planting is in full swing this
week. Prior to this week, cotton acreage planted was less than 10%. Cotton planting this year is two weeks later than normal. Several factors probably contribute to this later planting; one being extreme dry conditions and second an early wheat harvest. Cotton which was planted several weeks ago, has had a tough time since it has emerged. Cool night time temperatures, dry conditions and heavy thrips pressure has made plant establishment difficult. Several fields were treated this week for thrips. Remember, research has shown that the application of foliar sprays after significant thrips damage has occurred generally does not result in increased yields.

Grain sorghum and corn looks great and is progressing well with these cooler temperatures and has responded well to the improved moisture conditions where it rained last week.

Greenbug numbers remain low in most fields. Most aphids found in sorghum this week were cornleaf aphids and a large number of predators were found. This should help cotton producers later in the growing season.

I also want to thank Chris Cole from FMC for sponsoring the evening meal for Scout School in Uvalde held on June 3-4, 2002. His company sponsorship shows interest in helping scouts become more confident in their scouting abilities.

Infestations vary across the Concho Valley but some are causing problems in a few areas. The majority of grasshoppers are in the nymphal (young) stage right now. They are moving out of pastures, waterways, and roadside ditches and into the edges of sorghum and cotton fields. Producers should monitor crops planted next to grassy areas. These small grasshoppers are much easier to control when compared to the larger adult stages or the lubber grasshoppers, which are a problem some years.

No lubber grasshoppers have been seen to date.

Cotton ranges from still in the bag to 6-7 true leaf stage. Most cotton, which is up, looks weathered. The storms last week, cool night time temperatures this week and heavy thrips pressure is making survival difficult for the young cotton plants. Scouting cotton trials this week in Tom Green and Concho Counties indicated thrips populations at 1.5-2 thrips per leaf. Most of this cotton is in the 2nd to 3rd true leaf stage. Control may be justified when the average number of thrips counted per plant is equal to the number of true leaves present. On cotyledon stage cotton, the threshold commonlyused is an average of 1 to 3 thrips per plant. Orthene® has provided good control of thrips at the 4 oz. per acre rate. Other recommended insecticides for thrips control include Bidrin® (1-3 oz. per acre), Dimethoate 2.67 lb. (5-10 oz. per acre) and others.

The Runnels/Tom Green IPM committee has hired four individuals to scout cotton fields in Runnels, Tom Green and Concho counties this year. I am very excited about having the opportunity to work with these bright young folks and with the producers participating in the survey scouting program. This program is funded by the Southern Rolling Plains Cotton Growers Association and should be of great benefit to all cotton producers in the area. The "Telephone Update" has been connected and daily updates will begin once scouts have located all fields and begin daily scouting. Casey Mund, Beau Turner, Brian Gamble and Jeffrey Jordan are the scouts this year and they will begin locating fields on Monday June 10th. Aaron Fry, Holly Englert, Zane Denton and Samantha Burgess will be working on the Predator Movement Studies, Conservation Tillage Projects, Seed Treatment Evaluations and the Bollgard II Test. We have an excellent group of individuals working this year and Chris and I look forward to a very successful summer.

I thought it may be of interest to some cotton producers if we discussed plant development a little each week to refresh our memories and maybe learn a little more on growth and development of a cotton plant.

As everyone already knows cotton is a perennial shrub in its native habitat and can live for many years. Therefore, by planting and harvesting each year, cotton producers are forcing a perennial plant to perform as an annual.

Cotton plants grow slowly at emergence (the lag phase) because of the plants' limited leaf area, cooler temperatures early in the season and pests.

The first leaves that emerge are the cotyledon or seed leaves, the only leaves on the plant that grow directly opposite each other. Cotyledon leaves are primarily storage tissues; they have minimal ability to produce photosynthates (food).

If both cotyledons are lost within the first week after emergence, plant maturity will bedelayed because the leaves do not have time to transfer their stored nutrients to other plant parts. After the cotyledons emerge, the plant develops main-stem or true leaves. Later in the season, subtending leaves develop on fruiting branches, which are critical to boll set and boll fill.

Through the process of photosynthesis, leaves produce carbohydrates that the plant uses to survive, grow and produce fruit. A leaf's ability to produce carbohydrates is closely related to its age. Leaves that are 16 to 25 days old are prime producers and exporters of carbohydrates to other parts of the plant. After this age, they become less able to supply photosynthates. A 60-day-old leaf is unable to supply food reserves for developing fruit.

During the early stages of plant development, the roots grow faster than the plant parts above ground.A young taproot may extend six inches into the soil by the time the first true leaf is visible. Soon after the first true leaf appears, the roots begin developing an extensive lateral system.

What are the tactics or control methods used in IPM?

The tactics or methods used in IPM include one or a combination of the following:

• Cultural control (crop rotation, use of locally adapted or pest resistant/tolerant varieties, sanitation, manipulating planting/harvest dates to avoid pests)
• Biological control (protect, enhance or import natural enemies of pests)
• Mechanical control (cultivation, trapping, pest exclusion)
• Chemical control (insect growth regulators, pheromones, biological/chemical pesticides)

What are the goals of IPM for agriculture?

• Ensure abundant, high quality food and fiber
• Increase net profits
• Maintain or improve environmental quality
• Reduce production risks

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.