Beautiful 100° to 103° sunny days continue throughout the Concho Valley. Today temperatures could reach 104° and dry conditions are normal. It has to rain soon.

It is remarkable how cotton continues to hold up in these hot dry conditions. Irrigated cotton looks great and is progressing nicely. Irrigation has started and producers are encouraged to monitor their cotton fields for fleahopper infestations, square retention and bollworm eggs and/or small larvae. If the cotton plant doesn't have an adequate fruit load set, the irrigation will cause it to grow vegetatively and in my experience, once this starts, it's difficult to manage growth and fruit retention.

Grain sorghum harvest began this week in some areas where sorghum has burned up and producers are spot-cutting those fields. Most sorghum fields are still 2-3 weeks from harvest. Stink bugs and false chinch bugs continue to be a problem in many fields and producers are encouraged to monitor the stink bug infestations closely.

Cotton, in general, is doing well considering all the adversities right now. Dryland cotton will need additional soil moisture soon. Many fields are beginning to bloom and water demands go up significantly at this point of maturity. Fleahoppers continue to be found in most fileds but the general trend is lower numbers.

They have really caused significant damage in many fields. Cotton aphid infestations remain low and, with current weather conditions, should not cause any problems right now. False chinch bugs can easily be found on cotton in varying numbers and no damage is present at this time. According to experts, false chinch bugs should not cause any economic damage to squaring or blooming cotton. We are monitoring some of these fields closely and will keep you updated. Stink bugs do cause significant damage to cotton and producers are advised to monitor cotton fields closely for this pest especially those cotton fields planted adjacent to sorghum fields.

The July bollworm egg-lay began last week and bollworm egg counts range from 0-32 eggs per 100 plants. Larval counts range from 0-9 treatable worms per 100 plants. Most of these egg-lays have resulted in few worms establishing in fields. This is probably the result of hot temperatures, small canopy and good predator activity. These July flurries are common and seldom become a significant problem.

The first square is formed on the lowest reproductive branch of the plant. This branch may be located at the fifth to the ninth main stem node. The critical period for producing squares is from mid-June through late-July. The squaring rate should increase 1 ½ fold to 2 ½ fold or more each week through the fourth week of squaring. This rate usually levels off during the fifth and sixth weeks, then drops sharply at any time up through the fifth week. Research shows that as many as 85% of the total blooms that eventually are harvested come from squares set during the first four to five weeks of squaring. Some shedding of squares is expected. In fact, under the best management, the cotton plant will slough off 40 to 50% of all squares that it produces. The important thing is not to lose too many of the early squares. Extensive shedding-especially if it occurs early in the season-can upset the vegetable/fruiting balance of the plant and reduce yields.

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IPM Radio Update is up and running. The telephone number is 365-2642. This update will give producers a general insect and crop reports for the different areas in Runnels, Tom Green and Concho Counties.

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Tuesday, July 17th
Westside Gin 8:30 a.m.
Mereta Co-Op 1:00 p.m.

Wednesday, July 18th
Ballinger Coop 8:30 a.m.

A Forage Sorghum Tour will be held on Wednesday, July 18 at 6:00 p.m. at the Glenn Halfmann farm located off FM 1692 near the Miles Coop Gin. The tour will focus on a variety test plot including seventeen forage sorghum varieties planted May 15, 2001. Dr. Billy Warrick, Extension Agronomist from San Angelo, will discuss forage sorghums for production of hay crops. A complimentary evening meal will be provided by Hytest Seed following the tour. Please RSVP to the Runnels County Extension Office at 365-2219 by Tuesday, July 17 so that meals can be prepared.

Tom Green Budworm /Bollworm Moth Traps

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Runnels Budworm /Bollworm Moth Traps

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.