IN THIS ISSUE

· Upper Coast IPM Program Sponsors
· Cotton Insect Situation
· Boll Weevil Trap Counts
· Boll Worm Moth Trap Counts
· Beet Armyworm Moth Trap Counts
· Mexican Corn Rootworm Scouting Program
· Live Stink Bugs Wanted
· Crop Tours

Upper Coast IPM Program Sponsors

The Upper Coast IPM Program would like to recognize and express our sincere appreciation to the following gins that have provided the financial support for our cotton-monitoring program for the past four seasons. Without their support, we would not have been able to monitor the cotton fields in the Tri-County area. This monitoring program is how we have been able to provide you with information that has been included in this newsletter pertaining to crop conditions and the insect situation as well. The monitoring program as been a valuable tool in helping identify key or important areas of applied research as well.

Cotton Insect Situation

Growth stages of cotton in the Tri-County area of Wharton, Jackson and Matagorda counties ranged from matchhead square through the first week of bloom.

Aphid numbers were light in ninety percent of the fields that were monitored during the past week.

Fleahopper counts ranged from 2 to 38 per 100 plant terminals in fields located in Jackson county. The average for all the fields was 13 per 100 plant terminals.

Counts for Matagorda county ranged from 0 to 14 per 100 plant terminals with the average of all the fields at 8 per 100 plant terminals.

Counts for Wharton county ranged from 0 to 17 per 100 plant terminals with the average of all the fields at 2 per 100 plant terminals.

Boll weevil punctured square counts ranged from 0 to 10% in fields located in Jackson county. The average for all the fields was 1.3% punctured squares. Live boll weevils were found in 20 percent of the fields that were monitored. Boll weevil punctured squares were not to be found during the past week in fields that were monitored in Matagorda and Wharton counties.

Bollworm egg, larvae and one-third damaged square counts in Jackson county ranged from 0 to 2%, 0 to 3% and 0 to 1%, respectively.

In Matagorda county, boll worm egg counts ranged from 0 to 2% in the fields that were monitored. The average count for all the fields was 1%. Bollworm larvae counts ranged from 0 to 6% in the fields that were monitored. The average count for all the fields was 1%. Damaged square counts ranged from 0 to 6 % with the average of all the fields that were monitored at 1.5%.

In Wharton county, bollworm egg counts ranged from 0 to 5% in the fields that were monitored. Average bollworm egg counts for all the fields combined totaled 1%. Larvae counts ranged from 0 to 2% in the fields that were monitored. Average bollworm larvae counts for all the fields combined totaled 0.25%. Damaged square counts ranged from 0 to 3.2% for the fields that were monitored. Average damaged square counts for all the fields combined totaled 0.62%.

Loopers were found in low numbers in 23% of the fields that were monitored in the Tri-County area. Tarnished plant bugs or lygus were found in low numbers in 11% of the fields across the Tri-County area. Salt marsh caterpillars were found in 31% of the fields that were monitored. Salt marsh caterpillars appear to be heaviest in Matagorda county were insecticide applications have been made for control. Creontiades are beginning to appear in fields located in Matagorda county. During the past week, crop consultants reported that beet armyworms have caused concern in a couple of fields located between Collegeport, Palacios and Tintop.

Boll Weevil Trap Counts

Weekly boll weevil trap counts for the month of May were : 5/7- 4.03, 5/14 - 5.94, 5/21- 2.63, 5/28-1.44.

Table 1. Number of boll weevils captured per pheromone trap per month, thirty-two mile trap line, 1998-2001. Wharton County, Texas. TAEX operated traps.

Bollworm Moth Trap Counts

Bollworm moth trap counts for the month of May are enclosed (See Chart 2) and are compared with 1997-2000. Numbers were low in May with the exception of one spike beginning on the third week of May.

Beet Armyworm Moth Trap Counts

Beet armyworm moth trap counts have remained low for the entire season. Chart 1 compares 2001 trap counts with the previous three years. (See Chart 1)

Mexican Corn Rootworm Scouting Program

This year fifty-one fields or approximately 3,356 acres of corn is being scouted by the Upper Coast IPM program. Fields are located in the Burr and Iago areas of Wharton county. This program was established to evaluate the feasibility of an areawide pest management approach in suppressing numbers of adult mexican corn rootworm beetles. The premise of this strategy is to kill adult beetles before they lay most of their eggs and prevent economic infestations from occurring if corn is planted the following year. This program is being funded by the Texas Corn Producers Board.

Depending on field size, four to twelve Pherocon CRW Kairomone traps are placed in each field. Traps are monitored on weekly basis for approximately six to seven weeks beginning in the middle of May. Foliar insecticide applications have been made when fields reach treatment thresholds.

The treatment threshold for an insecticide application to be made is when a season long accumulation of 100 beetles/trap is reached and when 30% of the females captured are gravid.

Live Stink Bugs Wanted

Live Stink Bugs (Brown or Southern Green) are needed to begin the second year of a three year test to determine the effect of boll age on stinkbug feeding, boll damage and yield loss. In order to conduct this test, eight large walk-in insect cages measuring 6 feet high, 6 feet wide and 12 feet long have been constructed as well as individual boll or cup cages to house individual stinkbugs on bolls. 4, 8, 12, 15 and 18-day-old bolls will be used to compare internal damage, and yield reduction as well. Also, number of accumulated heat units will also be recorded from white bloom for each of the treatments (4, 8, 12, 15 and 18-day-old bolls). This project is being supported by research funds obtained from Cotton Incorporated.

Stinkbugs are also needed for a trial to compare the efficacy of different insecticides on Brown and Southern Green. If you happen to run across stinkbugs in cotton, corn or soybeans fields, I will be happy to come and collect as many of them as I possibly can.

Crop Tours

Crop Tour dates have been announced for counties located in the Upper Coast region. In order to see if any changes have occurred and detailed tour information, please contact individual counties.