Integrated Pest Management in Hale County

Cotton

Cotton ranges from early bloom to full grown bolls.  Nodes above white flower have ranged from 5.5 to 9.0 in irrigated cotton. Some dryland is now blooming in the top and could use some rain to fill in bolls. Overall, cotton insects have generally been light this past week. Loopers, beet Armyworms and cotton bollworms have been reported, but fruit damage has been minimal.

A few fields with Lygus have been reported, but infestations are not widespread at this time. Cotton fleahopper infestation has reached 40 per 100 plants, but these populations have been found in fields in the third week of bloom, so are no longer a concern. Cotton aphids were not found this past week, but could return after insecticide applications for other pests.

Sorghum

Sorghum generally ranges from boot to early grain fill. Many fields are in the bloom stage. During bloom, scout sorghum daily for infestations of sorghum midge. Populations can vary on a daily basis depending on wind direction and source of earlier infestations. Most fields scouted this past week had no sorghum midge observed. Later blooming sorghum will have a higher potential for economic infestations. No infestations of fall armyworm or corn earworm were found infesting heads last week, although an occasional fall armyworm egg mass was found. Beneficials are good in heads, but not abundant yet. Banks grass mites remained very light to none found this past week, but could increase as we experience more hot, dry weather. 

Yellow sugarcane aphids were found in several sorghum fields this past week, but colonies are small and scattered. No economic infestations were observed.

Corn

Southwestern corn borer trap collections remain very low at Halfway and northern Hale County.  Corn earworm infestations in ear tips are common, but are not a target for control due to the requirement of multiple applications for control. Banks grass mites remain light overall, with beneficials helping to hold populations in check. Continue to monitor this pest over the next few weeks as they can increase rapidly and do well with hot, dry weather conditions.

Sunflowers

Most fields have completed bloom and early planted fields not far from harvest. Late planted fields which have not bloomed yet should be monitored for the sunflower head moth as they enter bloom.