#1 Paper Copy for Fee
If you are interested in receiving a paper copy of this newsletter by mail during 2002, please send $10 and the subscription form to: Kerry Siders, EA-IPM, 1212 Houston St., Suite 2, Levelland, TX 79336
Make checks payable to: WEST PLAINS IPM UPDATE

#2 Free E-Mail Newsletter

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.

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#3 Free Internet Newsletter
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#4 Free Fax Newsletter
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IPM SCOUTING PROGRAM

If you are interested in entering acres into the Hockley and Cochran IPM Scouting Program indicate so on your newsletter subscription form. The cost is $5.25/acre for weekly scouting from June through September. Insect and weed scouting, monitoring of beneficials, management options and nematode sampling will be provided. For more information contact Kerry at 894-2406.

STICKING TO THE BASICS IN 2002
> Use minimum tillage where feasible
- reduced tillage on dryland
- cover crop/reduced tillage on irrigated
> Fertilize for realistic yield goal
> Variety selection - adaptability, storm proofness, value added traits based on need, disease tolerance
> Plant density - on 40" use 2-5 seed/foot with dryland at low end, irrigated high
> Soil temp 650 F for 10 days at 8"
> Do not cut thrips control and nematode control
> Use appropriate weed control program, do not skimp on this one
>Get most from available water- furrow diking a must
>Timely irrigation is a must
>Be very careful in use of plant growth regulators if at all
>Pray for rain, low costs, and higher commodity prices
For more in-depth discussion of these topics contact us for a copy of the publication: Sticking to the Basics by Dr. Boman.

Cotton Insect Management
Predictions this far out from when cotton will be up and fruiting are dangerous at best and certainly can change as often as the weather changes. So be cautious of these comments. We expect to see low infestations of many of the potential pests of cotton. Based on the overwintering site survey, we expect that the number of emerging overwintering boll weevils to be greatly reduced compared to previous years. This is good news for producers and the Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation. Potential problems from cotton fleahoppers and western tarnished plant bugs are very unpredictable. However, with recent rains weed pressure could result in these insects being a concern. The potential for aphid and thrips problems at this time are also difficult to predict but the potential is there. Reduction in corn acreage and planting of more acreage in the state to the Bollgard varieties should result in lessened bollworm and tobacco budworm problems.
With all of this said here are some recommendations:
1. Don't cut on thrips control. Use 2.5 -3.0 lbs. of Temik per acre on irrigated fields that historically have problems. On dryland fields, use an Orthene seed treatment or a single foliar spray early. Don't hold off "foliars" until the Roundup application. This is too late.
2. Try to achieve a uniform stand to make fields less attractive to aphids and beet armyworms.
3. Avoid the use of pyrethroid insecticides for bollworms if aphids are a potential problem in a field. Use one of the newer materials such as Tracer, Steward, or Denim.
4. If beet armyworm problems develop, consider using Tracer, Steward, Denim, Confirm or Intrepid. Don't use Steward if aphids are building and lady beetles are present. This insecticide is very harsh on lady beetles.
5. This may again be a fleahopper and/or plant bug year. Must check cotton as it begins to square-5-7 true leaf stage- to avoid an unpleasant surprise. Orthene, Bidrin, Dimethoate and Provado are good fleahopper materials. Orthene, Bidrin and certain pyrethroids are good plant bug materials.

Cowpea Aphid Alfalfa Threat - Possible new and more damaging variant

It may be time to begin watching alfalfa for the cowpea aphid. This is possibly a far more damaging strain than one we are accustomed to. California noted a virulent strain of cowpea aphid in 1998, possibly of Middle East origin. It spread throughout California in one year. It is very possible that this strain is now here. Go to http://lubbock.tamu.edu/ipm/AgWebindex.html and click on the IMAGE in the center column that says, "LOCAL AND NATIONAL NEWS" to get the cowpea aphid page. This aphid is black to dark blue to dark green. California recommends a (virulent) cowpea aphid threshold that is similar to that of the blue alfalfa aphid. For us, the blue alfalfa aphid threshold is:

Height less than 10 inches: 10-12 aphids per stem or 50 per sweep.
Height greater than 10 inches: 40 -50 aphids per stem or 200 per sweep.

The following footnote appears: treat for blue alfalfa aphid if aphids are present in numbers approaching the thresholds and plants have taken on a stunted, blue- green appearance.

If in fact we have the new variant, I'm not sure how valid these thresholds are. Conservatism might be a good idea. We suggest Lorsban, Dimethoate, Di-Syston, Cythion (malathion), and methyl parathion or Penncap-M as aphicides in our guide.

Result Demonstration Handbook

If you would like to obtain the latest compilation of research projects from 2002 in Hockley and Cochran Counties give us a call.

BOLL WEEVIL ERADICATION:
The following topics of full field access and eliminating volunteer cotton are issues which are important to the success of boll weevil eradication. These issues are not based on some political decision or bureaucratic pencil pusher. These issues are important because of their basis on sound ecological science of the weevil and economic efficiency.

Full field access critical to program success
Access to all sides of all cotton fields is one of the most important aspects of the eradication program. Without it, eradication is virtually impossible. Traps are the "eyes" in the boll weevil eradication program. They tell where weevils are and allow us to treat pockets of weevils and bring them under control before they reproduce and spread. Without thorough trapping and trap data, weevil hot spots go undetected, and weevils are allowed to reproduce and spread. To most economically gather the trap data needed to run the program, foundation employees check traps using pickup trucks and must have full vehicular access to all sides of all cotton fields. Mist blower trucks are very helpful in addressing weevil populations at the edges of fields, near obstructions and near houses, providing the wind is blowing away from the houses. But mist blowers can only be used effectively where growers allow full vehicular access to all sides of fields.
Please work with Foundation personnel and encourage your neighbors to work with them to provide full access to all fields so the program can make the most efficient use of your money to bring about quick efficient eradication of the boll weevil from your cotton fields.

Eliminating volunteer cotton speeds eradication efforts
Volunteer cotton is a threat to eradication. Failure to remove volunteer cotton extends the time needed to achieve eradication, creating unnecessary expense for you, the grower. Taking steps to eliminate volunteer cotton speeds eradication and saves everyone money in the long run.

For more information on the Boll Weevil Eradication Program contact the Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation. The Southern High Plains Zone office number is 771-3121 (Patrick Burson, Zone Manager), in Levelland 894-6916 (Donna Foster, District Manager), or in Morton 266-0181 (Sam Burnett, District Manager).

NEW INSECTICIDES FOR COTTON
Centric (Syngenta) and Intruder (Aventis Crop Science) have received labels for certain cotton insect pests. They are labeled for aphids, thrips, tarnished plant bug, whiteflies and cotton fleahopper. Experiments across the cotton belt have shown these products to be effective against the listed pests. Both products are of neonicotinoid chemistry similar to Provado, Admire, Gaucho, Trimax, Prescribe and others. Although we do not have firm costs for these products, use rates for aphids are expected to be in the $5-6/acre range.

Cotton root-knot nematode sampling in Hockley and Cochran Counties 1997-2001

The bottom line on this cotton root-knot nematode data above is that we can not underestimate the importance of sampling for nematodes, and the fact that you have about a 78% chance of having nematodes and a 61% chance that it requires treatment. For more information give me a call.

NEW INSECTICIDES FOR COTTON
Centric (Syngenta) and Intruder (Aventis Crop Science) have received labels for certain cotton insect pests. They are labeled for aphids, thrips, tarnished plant bug, whiteflies and cotton fleahopper. Experiments across the cotton belt have shown these products to be effective against the listed pests. Both products are of neonicotinoid chemistry similar to Provado, Admire, Gaucho, Trimax, Prescribe and others. Although we do not have firm costs for these products, use rates for aphids are expected to be in the $5-6/acre range.