GENERAL SITUATION

Isolated sprinkles fell across the area within the last week. The grain crop really needs a good rain in order to keep filling kernels. Relatively mild conditions as a result of the tropical storm that hit Southeast Texas has provided the Southern Blacklands with a couple of days of mild weather which benefits the grain. On the other hand, the cotton does better when the temperature is above 90 F, and with the early season insect pressure, we need optimum weather for the cotton crop.

More corn continues to tassel and a lot of grain sorghum is heading. Much of the cotton is at or beyond matchhead square and many fields are currently being sprayed for overwintered boll weevils.

CORN AND SORGHUM SOIL INSECT PESTS

In the previous issue of the Pest Management Newsletter, I provided information about management of sorghum midge. As each week goes by that sorghum is blooming throughout the area, growers need to spend more time monitoring for midge.

Currently, midge numbers are at very low numbers, less than 1 midge per 100 heads checked. I expected this trend to continue for another week, then numbers may begin to climb. I have included a table that provides information on midge.

COTTON

The majority of the cotton ranges from the matchhead square to 1/3 grown square. There is still some cotton that is being replanted and some that will be blooming real soon.

Thrip levels have lightened up in most fields. Even fields of later planted cotton there is injury from thrips is in less amount than what was seen around the area 2-3 weeks ago.

Aphid levels continue to increase in many fields, especially fields that have recently been treated for fleahoppers and overwintered boll weevils which have reduced the level of beneficial insects in these fields. Fortunately, only scattered spots of aphids are being found in the cotton. If aphid levels reach 50/leaf for a long enough period, then a treatment for aphids alone would be justified. We have not reached that point in area fields. However, with some of the products we have been using and the relative lateness of our crop, I still feel it is a good idea to keep the aphids under control and not let them build up to heavy levels.

Fleahopper levels remain high for the fourth week in a row. Currently, fleahopper counts range from 2 to 125 per 100 plants with the majority of fields ranging from 12 to 26 per 100 plants. Percent square set ranges from over 82% to 50% with most fields averaging between 65% to 75%. High levels of adults are being found migrating into fields following initial insecticide applications. We may be seeing some let up in fleahopper numbers in some isolated areas, but in other areas, they are not giving up. The only bright spot is that many of the oldest fields of cotton appear to be holding on to a greater percentage of the newly developed squares.

During the first three to four weeks of squaring, 10-25 fleahoppers per 100 terminals may cause economic damage. Be sure to carefully monitor fields for adult and nymph fleahoppers.

Some recommended insecticides to manage fleahoppers include Bidrin at 1 gal/40ac, Dimethoate 4E at 1 gal, 1/16 Othene (90S) at 4 oz/ac, Provado at 3.75 oz/ac, and Vydate CLV at 8oz/ac.

Boll Weevil trap catches remain low again this week (Table 1). However, we had a couple of traps in isolated areas that caught four and six boll weevils. For this reason, I am glad to see that producers are not slacking on overwintered weevil applications.

Only 15% of the traps on the Williamson-Milam County Pest Management trap line caught weevils. The location of the traps in the trap line where weevils were caught was along FM 1331. None of the traps along FM 1660 or FM 1951 caught weevils this past week.

Some suggested insecticides labeled for overwintered boll weevil include Guthion 2L @ 1pt/ac, Phasar 3E at 1pt/ac, Vydate CLV at 8.5 oz/ac, and Penncap-M 2F @ 1pt/ac. For products such as Guthion that do not control fleahoppers, it may be necessary to tank mix Bidrin, dimethoate, or Provado to achieve fleahopper suppression.

Bollworm/budworm levels remain low this week. I am not expecting numbers to increase to much over the next two weeks.

WEEKLY TURNROW MEETINGS

8:30 am Thorndale COOP

7:30 am Blackland Gin

9:00 am Williamson County Grain

10:00 am Hutto COOP

Remarks