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Field and Forage Crops |
With good to excessive moisture in much of the eastern part of the State, spider mite levels in than area appear to have decreased significantly. In other areas, some cotton fields continue to be treated. The status of the mites in the coming week will probably depend upon rainfall. In those areas that continue to get hot, dry weather, cotton fields should be checked for potentially increasing mite levels. I recommend spraying only in the event of widespread mite population and the beginning lower leaf defoliation. Do not spray if a hand lens reveals the presence of the parasitic fungus, or if rainfall is predicted. So far, both here and in a northern Alabama mite trial completed on July 5, Kelthane appears to be the chemical of choice for spider mites.
Plant bugs are now present in some cotton fields, probably more so in areas that have good moisture levels. At present, square retention levels that have been brought to my attention have been high (in the 90's). Between now and until about a week after blooming begins, the retention of upper squares should be monitored. With our generally late, lush cotton crop, plants will probably be able to compensate less for fruit loss than is ordinarily the case. Therefore, if sweeping is indicated for square loss of less than 80%, one might consider revising the plant bug threshold downward from the standard 8 plant bugs per 100 sweeps to 6 or 7, particularly if squaring is initiated on nodes 7 to 9. More details on plant bug monitoring and thresholds may be found on the web at: http://ipm.ncsu.edu/cotton/insectcorner/text.html#pb.
Tobacco budworm eggs and larval establishment in terminals and on squares still appears to be on the low side in conventional cotton.
Because we have already been receiving some telephone calls about treating for stink bugs in cotton, remember that stink bugs can not damage cotton prior to blooming. Several producers and consultants have already noted stink bugs in cotton (in one case, to the tune of 4 to 5 adult stink bug per 25 sweeps) and generally high levels are being found again on field corn. This may point toward at least a moderate stink bug year. We'll certainly find out in the next 3 to 6 weeks, hopefully not after the fact.
July 21 at 9:00 a.m. Halifax County. Agricultural Building, Halifax, North Carolina. Contact Arthur Whitehead (e-mail: Arthur_Whitehead@ncsu.edu; telephone: 252-583-5161) for details or directions.
July 21 at 1:30 p.m. Northampton County. County Administration Building, Jackson, North Carolina. Contact Craig Ellison (e-mail: Craig_Ellison@ncsu.edu; telephone: 252-534-2711) for details or directions.
July 26 at 10:00 a.m. Edgecombe County. East Carolina Agriculture and Education Center, 1175 Kingsboro Road, Exit 478 on Highway 64, then right. Center is located approximately one mile on the left. Contact Art Bradley (e-mail: Art_Bradley@ncsu.edu; telephone: 252-641-7815) for details or directions.
July 26 at 3:00 p.m. Nash County. Agricultural Center, Agricultural Center Drive, Nashville, North Carolina. Contact Charlie Tyson (e-mail: Charlie_Tyson@ncsu.edu; telephone: 252-459-9810) or Norman Harrell (e-mail: Norman_Harrell@ncsu.edu; telephone: 252-237-0111) for details or directions.
Employment and program opportunities are offered to all people regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.
Last modified on July 11, 2005 by Stephen J. Toth, Jr.