Fleahoppers Are Texas’ No. 1 Pest

Over 100,000 bales lost in the state.

by LARRY STALCUP

Ed Jungmann knows there’s no way around them. And good control of pesky fleahoppers early on helps him enjoy production that often pushes through 800 pounds of lint per acre in South Texas.

Fleahoppers are as common in South Texas as great enchiladas. West and northern Texas areas also see them annually. They’re among Texas’ most menacing cotton pests. Like clockwork, they invade young plants at pinhead square. If not controlled, yields are reduced substantially.

Ed Jungman

The Cotton Foundation’s 2007 report indicates that more than 3.4 million Texas cotton acres saw fleahopper infestations last year. More than 1.9 million acres were treated, at a cost of $4.36 per acre. Overall, 108,000 bales were lost to fleahoppers in Texas. Thrips proved the costliest insect to control at $4.61 per acre, and accounted for 65,000 bales lost.

Over a half-million acres were infested along the Gulf Coast and Winter Garden area, where Jungmann farms about 2,000 acres in Bishop with his son, Russell.

It’s a 50/50 dryland cotton/grain sorghum split. He plants conventional cold tolerant (CT) varieties exclusively from Seed Source, a regional seed company his family owns.

No Roundup Ready or Bt varieties are used, so the Jungmanns rely heavily on a good insecticide and herbicide program to control insects and weeds. And fleahoppers are among the biggest enemies.

“It’s a given to spray once or twice for fleahoppers,” says Jungmann. “We’ll spray initially at the first pinhead square in mid-April to early May.”

The Jungmanns apply about four ounces of Orthene the first application, then come back with a second Orthene application a few weeks later.

Fleahopper square damage. Photo credit: University of Georgia

“Our consulting entomologist scouts closely for fleahoppers and other insects,” says Jungmann. “We make sure they don’t get away from us. The second spraying knocks them out. The cotton is normally growing fast enough after that to prevent damage.”

Texas AgriLife Extension Service entomologists say the decision to apply insecticide for fleahoppers should be based on the number present, the squaring rate and percent square retention. Problems usually occur during the first three to five weeks of squaring.

“During the first week of squaring, the economic threshold is 25-30 cotton fleahoppers per 100 terminals, combined with less than 90% square set,” says Dr. David Kerns, AgriLife Extension entomologist in Lubbock. “In the second week of squaring, the economic threshold is 25-30 cotton fleahoppers per 100 terminals combined with less than 85% square set.

“Starting with the third week of squaring until first bloom, the economic threshold is 25-30 per 100 terminals, combined with less than 75% square set,” adds Kerns, noting that different regions will, of course, face different periods of plant development and infestation threats. Cotton that is developmentally delayed, particularly if grown north of Lubbock, may be less likely to be able to make up for lost squares compared.”

Fleahoppers feed on anthers of small squares and suck sap from leaf buds. Square feeding causes the squares to die, turn brown and shed. When fleahoppers are abundant, heavy fruit loss may occur on preflowering plants.

Cotton fleahoppers are relatively easily to control with many insecticides. Texas AgriLife Extension entomologists recommend a number of insecticides for fleahopper management including: pyrethroids, Orthene, Vydate, Dimethoate, Trimax Pro, Intruder, Centric, Carbine, Lorsban and Steward. However, early applications of some of these insecticides could also take out beneficials that can be keys in controlling aphids or worms down the road. Trimax Pro, Centric, Intruder, Carbine and Steward should be relatively easier on beneficials compared to the alternatives, particularly the pyrethroids.