GENERAL SITUATION

Hot and dry conditions persist across the area and the forecast calls for more of the same conditions for at least the next few days The hot weather is causing high moisture loss from the soil and plants. With this kind of weather, it will not take long for the grain to mature out and for the cotton to reach the stage when bolls start opening. The cotton crop would benefit the most from any rain that would develop across the area in the near future.

SORGHUM INSECT PESTS

Only a small percentage of sorghum fields have yet to complete bloom. Sorghum Midge levels on these late blooming fields are variable. In general, high levels, 2 or more per head can be found on the perimeter of the field, especially the south edge, and then the numbers generally drop off to less than one per every 3 to 4 head.

Stinkbug and headworm numbers can be found in most fields that are between bloom and soft dough stage. Lower levels of these pests are being found in fields that are past the soft dough stage.

COTTON

Cotton ranges from one-third square stage through mature bolls. The maturest fields are at 1 node above white flower (NAWF), although the majority of fields are around 3 NAWF.

Aphid levels remain relatively low in all fields. Light levels of aphids could be found in less than 10% of the pest management program fields.

Fleahoppers continue to cause problems in some fields. Some fields where fleahoppers had been persistently hampering cotton development were sprayed last week. Fleahopper levels have remained light in those particular fields, following treatment. However, fields that were not treated that had high levels of fleahoppers continue to be plagued by these pests.

Boll Weevil activity has picked up again slightly this week with more punctures being found in fields for the first time this season. Nonetheless, some fields that looked like they would be candidates for weevil problems early in the season, have not turned out to be so. Puncture square counts range from 0 to 8 per 100 squares checked, with most fields averaging 0-4.