West Plains
IPM Update


news about integrated pest management in hockley and cochran counties
Kerry Siders, EA-IPM
(806) 894-2406 (phone)
(806) 638-5635(mobile)
(806) 897-3104 (FAX)
E-Mail: k-siders@tamu.edu   http://lubbock.tamu.edu/ipm  
Vol. 7, No. 7
1212 Houston Street, Suite 2, Levelland, TX 79336
June 28, 2002

IN THIS ISSUE:

* Crop and Insect Situation
* Weed Control
* Heat Units
* Cotton 101 - The Square
* Upcoming Events

CROP & INSECT SITUATION
Rain showers up to 2 inches were received in eastern parts of Hockley County early on Thursday morning. As you go west Levelland officially received 0.48 inches, and Cochran County was lighter yet.

In most instances crops have turned the corner, particularly cotton, and are making good progress now that the winds have let up. In cases where the crop is still struggling to make progress consider the variety, and other factors for future reference. I have seen some of the long-season cotton varieties, which were storm damaged and generally stressed by harsh environmental conditions, taking longer to recover.

Cotton ranges from still in the cotyledon stage to 13 true leaves with 8-9 squares. We can expect to see some blooms next week on this larger cotton.

Generally though it will be after July 15 or so before we see most cotton beginning to bloom.

Peanuts continue to bloom with pegging expected soon. Irrigation is critical at this point in peanuts. Other crops such as grain sorghum are also making good progress now.

Insect pests remain very quiet. In the IPM Intensive Scouting Program the scouts and I have noted very scattered and light aphids, and fleahoppers (mainly associated with silverleaf nightshade). In our IPM Survey Scouting Program the scouts are finding about the same with the exception of picking up again some very light beet armyworms (3 small larvae). This time they were found in the extreme southwest corner of Cochran County. Beneficials, particularly crab spiders and ladybeetles, continue to be found in good numbers.

Weeds seem to be the most dominate pest at this time. The scouts have come up with a long varied list of weed species noted throughout both counties.
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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.
The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

 

If you need help identifying a weed and coming up with a control plan give me call. The next section I wrote last year at this time. I thought it appropriate to print it again.

Weed Control
Now that the cotton is squaring and some will be blooming soon, there is no such thing as "Roundup-ready" cotton. Let me explain. Roundup can be applied to Roundup Ready (RR) cotton without killing the plant, but it will injure or kill the fruit. No fruit means no lint! So it doesn't matter right now whether your cotton is RR or conventional – you must keep Roundup off the plants. We have all these well-shielded sprayers and post-directing rigs designed just for RR cotton. Do not hesitate to use these on conventional cotton, too. If your applicator is set right to keep the chemical off the RR cotton, it will work just as well on the conventional cotton. I must warn you, though, that if Roundup touches anything green on conventional cotton, it may severely injure or kill the plant. Therefore, the only difference between the two cotton systems is that you can direct the Roundup under the RR cotton. On conventional cotton, if the stalk has not developed bark, directed spray that gets on the stalk will kill the plant. When bark is formed on conventional cotton later in the season, the Roundup may not penetrate and get into the cotton plant to kill it.

You also have options other than Roundup. MSMA or DSMA may be considered. Staple herbicide, applied over the top, is another choice. These products differ in weed spectrum controlled and in cost. Remember, the less you disturb the soil the less likelihood you have of bringing on another flush of weeds.

HEAT UNITS (DD 60's)

May 1st to Present ...................................789
May 11th to Present .................................694
May 21st to Present .................................635
June 1st to Present ..................................499

 

GROWTH STAGE HEAT UNITS
Planting 0
Emergence 75
First Square 450
First Bloom 900
First Mature Boll 1800
First Open Boll 1900
5% Mature Bolls 1975
95% Mature Bolls 2270

 
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Cotton 101 - The Squares
Under normal conditions, you can expect to see the first square between five and eight weeks after cotton is planted. Here on the High Plains, the first square normally appears between 43 and 47 days. Watch for white blooms about three weeks later. 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. If you don't have squares by the ninth node (as an average of the fields), your crop may be in serious trouble. The critical period for producing squares is from June through mid 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.

Experts suggest that plants should be holding 60-75% of the early pinhead

 

squares (1/8" in diameter). The first three positions on each reproductive branch are the key sites for fruiting. They account for most of the yield. According to research, over 50% of the total lint is produced from the first square on each reproductive branch. To put it another way, the squares nearest the main stalk on each fruiting branch will make up over one-half of your total yield. The second series of squares accounts for another one-third or more of the crop. Those squares farther out produce 15% or less of the final number of mature bolls. Square shed may be the result of insect damage or poor growing conditions. Conditions that can cause a plant to drop its squares include very dense stands, rank plant growth, extended cloudy weather, too much nitrogen, low root oxygen because of water-logged soils and temperatures below 600 F for several nights. Dense stands or rank growth shade the lowers fruiting branches. They either stop growing or shed a large portion of their squares. Avoid planting too thick. The cotton plant has a tremendous capacity to make up for square shedding. It is very forgiving of mismanagement, pest attack, and poor growing conditions - but to a limit.

Pesticide Applicator Training
and Testing
July 02, 2002, 09:00 am.
at Corner of Hwy 380 and FM 1780 in
Tokio

West Plains IPM Update is a publication of the Texas Agricultural Extension Service IPM Program in Hockley and Cochran Counties.

Editor: Kerry Siders
Production: Patty Castaneda


Posted at this web site by:
texagnet Internet Services.
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TEXAS COUNTRY CLEANUP

BRING IN THE FOLLOWING, AND WE'LL RECYCLE IT FOR FREE:

Empty Plastic Pesticide Containers
(high pressure or triple rinsed)
Used Motor Oil and Oil Filters
Lead-Acid Batteries

JULY 24, 2002, 8:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.
HOCKLEY COUNTY FAIR GROUNDS, LEVELLAND
(1.25 miles west on FM 300 from Hwy 385, intersection FM 300 and Blackgold Road)

For more information contact Texas Cooperative Extension, Hockley County at (806) 894-3159

DON'T DUMP ON TEXAS. ROUND UP AND RECYCLE.

The Texas Country Clean Up Program is coordinated by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission.
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