Ag Fax: MidSouth Cotton
By Laykyn Rainbolt, Contributing Editor & Owen Taylor, Editor
OVERVIEW
More cotton has moved past the point of insect susceptibility, and cleanup sprays are going out where growers are protecting the top crop from plant bugs and stink bugs.
Open bolls are a bit more common in parts of Louisiana this week.
Bollworm moths are still around, but the flight has subsided and bollworms have had their run in cotton.
Insects remain active in soybeans. That includes stink bugs and some mix of worms. Redbanded stink bugs are still heading north and are a point of caution in the latter half of August. In places, soybeans have been desiccated and have moved past the point that most insects won’t matter.
Corn harvest continues, and combines are running farther north this week.
Gary Wolfe, La-Ark Agricultural Consulting, Ida, Louisiana
“For the most part, the crop looks really good. I saw our first open bolls on August 7. Usually, we find a little open cotton in late July, but this year the crop is pretty late.
“The insect pressure has been steady but never overwhelming. We are dealing with plant bugs and bollworms, but we are winding down our insect program pretty quickly. Everything will get one last spray.
“We’ve received several inches of rain this month and are seeing some regrowth on cotton that has already cut out. I think everyone is probably experiencing this, considering the high temperatures and large rainfall amounts. Some pretty big Pix shots will soon go out to cover that.
“After today (8/17), we will probably start letting some of the cotton go. Our cotton varies greatly between fields and even within fields due to the different soil types within a field. At times, you really have to consider if it’s worth spraying. Right now, our main concern isn’t applying an insecticide. The overriding thing is making sure that Pix application goes out. In these conditions, cotton has taken off and is growing from the tops.”
Keith Collins, Extension Agent, Richland, Ouachita and Franklin Parishes, Rayville, Louisiana
“Most of the cotton was planted in early- to mid-May, and it’s past cutout. That cotton will need to be protected from insects for another 10 to 14 days. I’ve seen a couple of dryland fields with bolls opening.
“I’m cautiously optimistic about this crop. There’s quite a bit of time until we pick it, so boll rot and other issues are still of concern. Once we take the leaves off, we’ll really know what we have.
“One guy told me earlier that he would start cutting rice this week. But if anyone has cut any rice in the northeast Delta, it’s been very little. We are probably still three weeks away from really getting into rice harvest.
“Most of the soybeans I’ve looked at have a tremendous pod set. We have had to treat once or twice for alfalfa hoppers, which for us is an occasional pest. Those applications, I suspect, helped beat back stink bugs. But just in the last week, a mix of redbanded and browns and greens have showed up.
“Overall, we’ve treated very little for stink bugs. But most of the beans I’m talking about are at R6, so in two weeks or so they’ll be physiologically mature.
“Treatments for loopers are also going out. In the last week, their numbers really exploded.”
Sebe Brown, Louisiana Extension Field Crops Entomologist
“We’re starting to see light at the end of the tunnel for a lot of our cotton acres, and people are cutting loose plenty of this cotton. The main thing now in many fields is making that one last cleanup spray, primarily for plant bugs and stink bugs.
“Unfortunately, many growers have maxed out their budgets and won’t make that last cleanup application. Outside of defoliating, they have done everything they can and are forced to back away.
“Plant bugs are moving to the top of plants. They are following the fruit, which we’d expect. Guys with cotton at 3 to 4 NAWF are really trying to make a last shot to protect that top crop
“In central Louisiana, we received 1.2 inches of rain last week, and the entire state mostly got at least a little rain, with 3 to 4 inches falling in certain areas. We’re not dealing with spider mites now, and I’m sure the rain played a role in decreasing those numbers.
“Aphids have flared up in places, but it’s nothing out of control. We saw a little bollworm moth flight at the Dean Lee Research Station this week. We caught 37 moths, which is a decent number for this time of the year. Hopefully, this is the tail end of bollworms for 2020, and the egg lay has all but dried up statewide.
“The rain was welcomed where soybeans are finishing up.
“In soybeans, defoliators are establishing a bigger footprint across Louisiana. More and more people are calling about soybean loopers. In places, they’re at threshold, but with the majority of these reports, counts are running 33% to 50% of threshold. Pretty much everyone with beans between R5 and R6 is expecting to make a looper application.
“Velvetbean caterpillars (VBC) are still hanging around. They aren’t too big of an issue since any spray for stink bugs will also take care of VBC. But they can build to damaging populations, and several people have made dedicated VBC sprays. A few people say that they have never seen this many VBC moths flying around their fields.
“Green cloverworms are also still here. But, again, stink bug sprays will take them out.
“Soybeans really need to be protected a little longer. Once they reach R6.5, you can cut them loose. Stink bugs are still there, but numbers seem to have relaxed a little. A lot of the beans are turning, so guys are moving forward with a desiccant application in those fields.
“As people let go of more soybeans, it’s critical to closely scout those remaining acres because stink bugs will congregate in later fields. Once beans really start podding, anticipate making an application.”