Agricultural News
Cotton Producers Fighting Drought and Pests this Crop Season
Fri, 17 Jun 2011 09:54:34 CDT
Cotton producers in southwestern Oklahoma are still facing the terrible drought conditions of the 2011 crop season. Despite the rough planting conditions for this year, producers are still considering the options of late and dryland planting. The deadlines for both of these options for insurance purposes are quickly approaching with the deadline for dryland planting on June 20, 2011, and late planting period expires on June 27, 2011.
Besides drought for this crop year, cotton producers need to be aware of pests as well, such as fleahoppers and lygus. Fleahoppers feed on young weeds, however, as the weeds begin to mature, they will move onto the cotton plant to feed. Numerous chemicals are registered for control of fleahoppers. In an ideal situation, Fleahoppers should be controlled only when thresholds are exceeded in order to preserve beneficial insects since these will help control later occurring pests. Unless the cotton is extremely late, after July 25, control of cotton fleahoppers generally is not economical.
Spray decisions should be based on the squaring rate and level of cotton fleahopper infestations. Usually when cotton fleahoppers (adults and nymphs) reach or exceed 30 per 100 terminals, treatment is justified. However, if cotton fleahopper numbers build slowly, fields can tolerate higher numbers before a reduction in squaring rate will occur. In most cases, fields will no longer be vulnerable to cotton fleahoppers once they begin to bloom.
Lygus, although not very common, can also be a concern this year. Lygus are a small insect that vary in color from pale green to yellowish brown with reddish brown to black markings with a triangle on the middle of the back. Control of Lygus although rare in Oklahoma must be carefully considered because of the destruction of beneficial insects that could cause out breaks of other pests especially cotton aphids. Texas AgriLife Extension at Lubbock has provided a threshold table.
If one encounters a lygus population above economic thresholds the same precautions should be considered as those for cotton fleahopper control. Also, damage occurring with the presence of lygus does not necessarily mean chemical control is warranted. Dr Kerns has narrowed his list to Orthene, Vydate, Carbine, and pyrethroids. He suggested not to use pyrethroids if aphids are present because of threat of aphid flareup.
For more information on the severe drought conditions for cotton producers, as well as more management practices for fleahoppers and lygus, read the Cotton Comments newsletter below.
01756_CottonComments06172011.pdf
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