Pheromone Trap Counts, May 31, 2013
Both bollworm and tobacco budworm trap catches were higher during the last week of May compared to the preceding week. Bollworm counts are also higher than during 2012, and more in line with earlier years.
Back to homepage
Insects
Planting Progress and Early Season Weed/Thrips Control
A good deal of progress was made this past week with respect to getting the 2013 cotton crop planted. Rainfall during the middle part of last week put planting activities on hold until Friday afternoon (of last week) or Saturday
Thrips Pressure Heavy Despite a Late Planted Crop
No doubt this is a very late planted crop by Mississippi standards, so I was a little surprised when numerous thrips calls started coming in about a week or so ago. Usually thrips issues are much worse on cotton that is growing off slow due to cold weather or any number of issues that may slow growth.
How will rainfall impact seed treatments in soybeans, rice, cotton, and other crops?
With all of the rainfall that we have had around most of the state, there have been a lot of questions about the impact on seed treatments. In general, most of the seed treatments that are being used in all crops are water soluble. Typical levels of rainfall should not have a negative impact on the efficacy of seed treatments, but excessive rainfall may.
Pheromone Trap Counts, May 24, 2013
Here is the first weekly report of bollworm and tobacco budworm pheromone trap counts for 2013. While this is the first report posted, some traps have been monitored since late March. So far this year there has been nothing unusual
Aphids in Rice
There have been some reports of aphids in Arkansas rice fields recently. I talked to Gus Lorenz (UofA Extension Entomologist) yesterday and he told me that they are seeing several species of aphids scattered throughout Arkansas. I have not heard of or seen any in Mississippi rice fields to date, but I wanted to make everyone aware of what is being seen in Arkansas.
2013 Scout Schools Set
The 2013 Scout School dates have been set. The first will be June 4th from 9:00 a.m -12:00 p.m. at the Delta Research and Extension Center in the auditorium of the main building. The last one will be on the main campus of Mississippi State University in the Clay Lyle Entomology Building conference room.
Managing For Earliness
Progress was made with respect to planting on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of this week. Some areas remained wet and little progress was made whereas in others favorable conditions facilitated tremendous progress. However, what began on Monday of this week
Kudzu Bug Finds in Mississippi Increasing
In 2012 Kudzu bugs were found in four counties in Mississippi on Kudzu. All finds were along major highways suggesting they “hitchhiked” in on vehicles. The counties were Warren, Lauderdale, Montgomery, and Carroll. In the last 2 weeks we have
Do Insecticide Seed Treatments Provide any Value on Late Planted Soybeans?
Due to the rain and cold weather this spring a much larger percent of the soybean crop will be planted later than normal. There have been several questions lately about whether or not we should still include an insecticide seed
Thrips in Cotton and Peanuts
I have been asked several times over the last week about the need for thrips control now that we have more optimal planting conditions. This is a good question and I will attempt to provide some valuable insight about thrips control in both cotton and peanuts.
Transform WG Insecticide from Dow Recieves Label for Cotton
Earlier this week Transform WG insecticide from Dow received a full Section 3 label for use in cotton.
Stink Bug Numbers Increasing in Heading Wheat
I am starting to get numerous calls about stink bugs in heading wheat. It is not uncommon to find stink bugs in wheat after head emergence. However, it takes extremely high numbers to cause economic damage to heading wheat. With this
Brown Stink Bugs Showing Up In Small Corn
Stink bugs damage small corn by feeding through the whorl or side of the stem hitting the growing point which either causes “dead heart†or severely stunts the plant. Severely stunted plants may not die but essentially become a weed. In many cases, corn that has been fed on without hitting the growing point will recover. Even if the growing point is not hit, in some situations where stink bugs feed through the stem you will see irregular growth.
Will cold and rainy weather impact seed treatments in corn and rice?
This is an important question right now with the weather conditions that we have had over the last few weeks. A considerable amount of corn and a little bit of rice has been planted over the last 3 to 4 weeks. In most of those fields, the crop has either just emerged or has not emerged yet.
Top Ten Keys to High Corn Yields
You must provide numerous resources and management to optimize the opportunity for corn plants to produce high yields. Of course, favorable weather plays a huge role as well. This article describes areas where we can improve corn yield potential.
Insecticide Seed Treatments in Soybeans
What is the importance of a neonicotinoid insecticide seed treatment in soybeans? Basically it is a risk management tool. Soybean seedlings have a tremendous amount of vigor and can tolerate a substantial amount of insect injury. However, early planted soybeans can encounter less than optimal environmental conditions which can stress plants and reduce vigor. Insect injury under these conditions is an additional stress. During 2010, it is estimated that the use of insecticide seed treatments in soybeans resulted in a value of $28.8 million to Mississippi soybean growers.
Have a Plan for Managing Sugarcane Beetles in Field Corn
Sugarcane beetles (Euetheola humilis rugiceps), have caused many Mississippi corn producers major headaches in the last decade. Ironically enough, most of the problem areas are in the Hill region of the state and not the Delta region. Sugarcane beetles are certainly present in the Delta but rarely cause widespread problems in corn (to date). Sugarcane beetle infestations are sporadic in nature but heavy infestations can be very serious and require replanting in some situations. Unfortunately there are no viable rescue treatments available, so this pest has to be managed at planting.
2012 Southern U.S. Insecticide Performance Survey
University Research and Extension Entomologists from across the southern U.S. participated in a survey where they rate the performance of insecticides against various insect pests in cotton, soybean, and field corn.
Video Demonstrating Use of a Drop Cloth in Cotton
Video showing how to use a drop cloth for sampling tarnished plant bugs in cotton.
2012 Row Crop Short Course
The 2012 Row Crop Short Course will be held from December 3-5, 2012 at the Bost Extension Center on the campus of Mississippi State University. Pre-registration is free of charge until November 30 and will be $40 thereafter including at
Delta Crop Summit – November 13, 2012, Stoneville, MS
The 2012 Delta Crop Summit will be held on Tuesday, November 13, in Stoneville, MS. Please see the attached schedule.
Insecticide Seed Treatments for Wheat
As we begin to gear up for wheat planting there have been several questions regarding the use of insecticide seed treatments. We have been testing insecticide seed treatments in wheat for several years and have seen a positive response in nearly every case.
New Insecticides Labeled for Rice
Two new insecticides from Valent recently received federal labels for use in rice. The state approval is still pending, but expected soon. The insecticides are Belay and Nipsit INSIDE. Both of these insecticides have the same active ingedient, clothianidin.
Insect Trap Counts, August 29, 2012
Bollworm trap counts dropped slightly from the previous week in the Delta and Central MS regions while staying about the same in the Northeastern MS region. Tobacco budworm counts also dropped back some this week while beet armyworm counts were
