Category Archives: Cotton

Cotton Insecticide Use Guide, Knowing and Balancing Risks

This is another IPM short, and is the result of many seasons of critical work on non-targets and efficacy of cotton insecticides. It’s that time of the season where many insecticide applications will be made in cotton, making this the perfect opportunity to share this important information on making insecticide spray decisions based on what we know about the risks associated with certain chemistries. Each insecticide decision carries with it a variable combination of risks. Isadora Bordini, Al Fournier, Steve Naranjo, Naomi Pier, and Peter Ellsworth have developed this guide in the hopes of aiding field managers in this, sometimes difficult, decision making process. This two page guide includes a table of cotton insecticides commonly used and information on their selectivity, efficacy, and associated risks along with a page that explains how the table is to be used and an explanation of how to interpret the information in order to identify, balance and prioritize all insecticide risks, by considering each spray decision on a case-by-case basis to fit the unique requirements of a situation. https://acis.cals.arizona.edu/docs/default-source/ipm-shorts/CottonInsecticideRisk.pdf

Root Knot Nematode

The Root-knot nematode (RKN), Meloidogyne incognita, is a serious pest that infects cotton as well as sorghum, corn, melons, watermelon, peppers, beans, and many other crops. The RKN is usually found in sandy or sandy loam soils; and is most active in the summer when soil temperatures are warm. This parasitic nematode is an obligate parasite that must complete its life cycle in a plant host, but eggs are persistent and can remain inactive in the absence of a host and/or in fallow fields for months or years. Infection of RKN causes swellings (galls) on the roots. In cotton, these swellings are usually small and hard to detect. As a result, plants may be heavily infected even though galls are not easily visible. Accurate diagnosis of RKN infestation usually requires laboratory analysis for detection and identification. Good samples are important for accurate identification and quantification.
Click Here for a short publication on Sampling Soil for Root Knot Nematode, which contains steps to help ensure you get a good sample.