Podcast: Early Season Insect Management in Cotton
This podcast discusses threecornered alfalfa hoppers, thrips, and aphids in cotton. Please click the icon below to listen to the podcast.
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Posts From Don Cook, Entomologist
Assessing Adult Plant Bug Control Migrating Into Cotton
Square retention is a critical component of early season plant bug management. I would strongly encourage you to take square retention counts along with your sweep net counts prior to bloom. Not only does this help in the decision making
Management of Slugs in MS Row Crops: Podcast
Click to listen Management of Slugs in MS Row Crops Podcast
Brown Stink Bugs in Seedling Corn
Over the last couple days we have begin to receive a few calls about brown stink bugs in seedling corn in the Delta region of the state. Stink bugs attack corn by feeding through the side of the stem or
Pesticide Calibration Made Easy
Proper calibration of agricultural pesticide application equipment can mean the difference in control or failure of a pesticide against the targeted pest and potentially thousands of dollars of savings to the grower. Many growers are now using rate controllers; however,
Corn Earworm and Bt Field Corn
The number of commercial corn hybrids expressing the Vip trait (Leptra, Viptera, and Trecepta) is increasing, and they are being marketed for improved control of ear feeding insects, including corn earworm. We have been getting questions about these, and yes this
Seed Treatments in Cotton: 2019
(UPDATED ARTICLE FROM 2018) Over the years many have questioned whether the use of a seed treatment is considered IPM because they are used prior to the onset of a problem. In our area, and across most of the cotton
2019 Grain Sorghum Hybrid Suggestions
This article lists those grain sorghum hybrids which have produced superior yields in the Mississippi Grain Sorghum Hybrid Trials and neighboring University trials. This information should improve your ability to select well-adapted sorghum hybrids for Mississippi based on independent performance testing.
County Extension Meeting Schedule – February and March 2019
Mississippi State University Extension will be hosting several county row crop meetings from January through March of 2019. Each meeting will cover issues specific to the region including management topics on agronomics, insects, weeds, diseases, and economics. A meal will
Southwestern Corn Borer Traps: June 29, 2018
Southwestern corn borer trap counts were up this week in Coahoma county. As a reminder, our threshold for foliar sprays on non-Bt corn is to spray one week after trap counts exceed 100 per trap from tassel to full dent.
Potato Leafhoppers in Soybean
Every few years we have a surge of potato leafhopper calls in soybean in MS. This is one of those years. Potato leafhoppers strongly prefer smooth leaf soybean varieties and I suspect that the calls increase on years where popular
Managing Plant Bugs in Cotton That is Just Starting (or About to Start) Bloom: Diamond or Not?
So far, the 2018 cotton crop is off to a good start. Good growing conditions caused cotton to grow off from thrips pretty quick and plant bugs have been fairly light so far this year. A lot of cotton has
Rainfastness of Insecticides
This article is dated but applies very well today given the pop up showers across most of the state lately. Every year when afternoon thunderstorms start popping up, the phone starts ringing about rainfastness. Rainfastness simply means the amount of
Common Questions, Myths, and Facts About Soybean Insect Control in MS
This is a recycled article from 2012 and slightly updated but it fits well with recent calls. Sentences in italics have been added or updated since original posting. We have some of the earliest beans that are R3/R4 getting fungicide applications
Reminder: 2018 Agronomic Scout School Dates
Mississippi State University will be hosting 2 scout schools this year. We have transitioned over the years to make these trainings much more diverse than insect pest alone. This year we will be including insects, disease, fertility, and herbicide symptomology.
Redbanded Stink Bug Ditchbank Survey 5/10/2018
In 2017, we were able to accurately predict the threat of RBSB based on sampling ditch banks in the spring. Every year we sample ditch banks across the state to make collections of various insect pests. With most pests, such
2018 MSU Grain Sorghum Hybrid Suggestions
This article lists grain sorghum hybrids which have produced superior yields in the Mississippi Grain Sorghum Hybrid Trials and neighboring University trials. This information should improve your ability to select well-adapted sorghum hybrids for Mississippi based on independent performance testing.
Controlling Thrips in Cotton: Recommendations for 2018
Over the years many have questioned whether the use of a seed treatment is considered IPM because they are used prior to the onset of a problem. In our area, and across most of the cotton belt, thrips are considered
Bollworm Management in Bt Cotton: Things to Consider at Planting Time
As the 2018 cotton season approaches, it is a good time to look back at 2017. From an insect management standpoint, the number one thing that stands out about last year is the amount of foliar sprays that were made
Redbanded Stink Bug Ditch Bank Survey 4/15/2018
In 2017, we were able to accurately predict the threat of RBSB based on sampling ditch banks in the spring. Every year we sample ditch banks across the state to make collections of various insect pests. With most pests, such
Cool, Wet Weather, and Residue Brings Slugs
I have recently received a few call about slugs in corn. I suspect this will increase in more crops as planting continues and they begin to emerge. Slug problems usually start on corn first, then move to soybeans, then cotton in our area.
2018 Future of Agriculture Graduate Student Meeting
On February 8th 2018, Mississippi State University will host the sixth annual Future of Agriculture Graduate Student Competition. The competition will be open to M.S. and Ph.D. students working in production agriculture. Over the last several years, there has been
What Will Cold Temperatures Mean for Redbanded Stink Bug This Year?
Entomologist across the Mid-South have had numerous questions about how below average temperatures we have encountered this month will impact RBSB populations this year. What we know is RBSB’s are tropical insects that do not survive well in cold temperatures. We have
Mixing Soybean Desiccants with Insecticides
Over the last few weeks there have been many questions about the legality of mixing insecticides with desiccants applied to soybean. There are several desiccants approved for soybean including Gramoxone, sodium chlorate, Aim 2EC, and Sharpen. There are no issues
